
GopigM?. 



CDEBRIGHT DEPOSm 



GPO 



Theocracy of Israel 



DIVINE FORM Of GOVERNMENT 



T9S2 



BY G G. RUPERT 



Union Publishing Company 



OKLAHOMA CITY, O. 



The Theocracy of Israel 



Part I 
Of ""The Inspired History of the Nations'* 



By G. G. Rupert 

Author of "The Inspired History of the Nations" 



Union Publishing Company 
Oklahoma City, O. T. 



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THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 

Two Copies Receivec 

OCT 6 1903 

Copyright Entry 

lefe. xh-w* 

CLASS OL XXc.No 
COPY B. 



Entered according to Act of Congress December, /p02, by 

G. G. RUPERT 

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 



Lc Control 



Number 




^P 96 031 664 



PREFACE 



TN offering this volume to the public, we do it with the 
assurance that the one who understands the formation 
and principles governing* the government of God in ancient 
Israel will be better prepared to comprehend the Bible as a 
whole; for these principles are the foundation of the truths as 
given by inspiration, and especially is this true when we 
consider that God has said He would set His hand the 
second time to recover the remnant of His people. When 
this work is done, the same principles will be again brought 
to view, and without an understanding of them we would not 
be prepared to understand the movement when it does take 
place. This makes this volume of special interest to us in 
this age of the world. 

The principles of government in the theocracy of Israel 
are the best ever given to the children of men. These prin- 
ciples related both to the civil and religious rule, and, so far 
as the civil regulations were concerned, there are no better 
to-day. All true principles governing man's relation, one to 
another, are there laid down. That the reader may be bene- 
fited by the reading of this volume is the sincere desire of 
the author. 

THE AUTHOR. 



CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER I.— Let There Be Light.— In the Beginning.— Preparation 
for Man's Home. — Six Periods of Creation.— The Sea. — The Earth. 
— The Heavens Garnished. — The Power Used in Creation. — Revolu- 
tions of the Earth. — The Firmament Made. — The Sun Created. — 
Beast Created. — Man Created. — The Garden. — The Home Com- 
pleted. — God's Memorial.— Christ the Creator. — Man's Food. — Pre- 
existence of Christ, 17-30. 

CHAPTER II.— Temptation and Fall.— Second Trial for Life.— The 
Promised Seed. — The Curses Pronounced. — Adam and Eve Meet 
God.— The Excuses Made.— The Two Sons of Adam. — The Second 
Curse. — Sons of God. — Daughters of Men. — The Flood. — The De- 
scendants of Noah. — Location of the Ancient Nations, 31-47. 

CHAPTER III. — The Promise to Abraham.— Abraham Leaves His 
Home. — His Journey to Egypt. — Many Years of Trials of Faith.— 
The Promised Seed Finally Born. — Abraham's Old Age. — The Last 
Trial of Faith. — The Covenant Confirmed by the Oath of God. — The 
Melchisedec Priesthood. — Four Hundred Years Israel Sojourned in 
Egypt. — Israel Leaves Egypt. — The Sinaitic Covenant. — The Dif- 
ference between the Two Covenants. — The Mosaic Covenant. — Its 
Object. — Confirmed by the Blood of Animals. — The . Covenant 
Broken. — The Covenant Renewed. — The Covenant Decayeth and 
Waxeth Old.— It Vanisheth Away.— Paul's Epistles to the Galatians, 
Romans, Corinthians, and Hebrews. — The Use of the Old Covenant 
in This Age, 48-99. 

CHAPTER IV.— The Theocracy of Israel.— Moses Makes a Mistake as 
to Time.— He Flees for Life. — A Keeper of Sheep. — The Lord 
Appears to Him. — He Refuses to Lead Israel Out. — Aaron Sent 
with Him.— Experience with Pharaoh. — Israel Leaves Egypt. — 
Gathering at Sinai. — The Covenant Made, 100-113. 

CHAPTER V. — Principles of Government. — Divers Laws Given. — 
Forty Years in the Wilderness. — Moses' Death. — Joshua's Charge 
from Moses, 1 14-123. 

CHAPTER VI.— Joshua's Preparation to Cross Jordan.— The Time 
of High Water.— Spies Sent to View Jericho.— The Manna Ceases 
to Fall.— Fed with the New Corn of the Land.— A Mighty 
Warrior Meets Joshua.— Jericho Surrounded and Taken.— The 
Defeat at Ai.— A Thief in the Camp Defeats Israel.— League 
Made with the Gibbonites.— Terror Seizes the People. — The Land 
Divided.— Caleb's Abiding Faith.— Joshua's Charge to Israel.— His 
Death, 124-138. 

vii 



viii Contents. 

CHAPTER VII.— The Judges.— Deborah.— The Prophetess Rules Israel 
Forty Years. — Israel Sins against the Lord. — They Are Sold into 
the Hands of the Midianites. — Gideon Their Deliverer.— Great 
Slaughter. — Sampson a Child of Providence. — His Riddles. — His 
Marriage with the Philistine. — The Story of His Life and Manner of 
His Death, 139-168. 

CHAPTER VIII.— Samuel.— The Prophet and Judge.— A Child of 
Providence. — Eli's Mistake. — The Lord Talks to Samuel When a 
Boy, 169-176. 

CHAPTER IX. — Israel Desires a King. — Saul Chosen. — His Appear- 
ance. — Israel Sold to the Amalekites Because of Their Sins. — Saul's 
Mistake. — He Is in War with the Philistines, 177-182. 

CHAPTER^ X.— David's Appearance in the Camp.— He Slays Goliath. 
Saul's Rejection by the Lord. — Hatred to David. — Saul Seeks to 
Familiar Spirits. —His Death. — David Is Given the Kingdom. — His 
Patience. — His Commendable Spirit toward Saul. — His Error. — The 
Curse Pronounced by the Lord. — Pronounced on Him Till the Day 
of His Death. — The Literal Fulfilment in This Life. — A Valuable 
Lesson to All. — David's Repentance and Faithfulness to God. — His 
Death, 183-206. 

CHAPTER XL— Solomon Builds the House of the Lord.— His Re- 
quest. — His Wisdom. — His Riches. — His Glory in the Weight of the 
World. — His Mistake. — God's Sentence against Him. — His Trouble 
at the Time of His Death, 207-214. 

CHAPTER XII.— Israel and Judah Divided.— Israel Has Ten Tribes.— 
Judah Has Two Tribes. — Rehoboam and Jeroboam Chosen Kings. — 
Their Two Capitals, Samaria and Jerusalem. — Israel More Wicked 
than Judah. — The History of Both Their Kings as Related to the 
Law of Blessings and Cursings Pronounced by Moses. — Dark His- 
tory.— God's Mercy. — Ahab's Wicked Reign. — Jehu, the Reformer 
in Israel. — Elijah and Elijah's Prophecies. — War with Assyria. — 
Israel's Overthrow and Captivity, 215-237. 

CHAPTER XIII.— Judah Still Remains.— The Wicked Reigns of the 
Kings of Judah. — The War with Babylon. — Judah/s Captivity. — 
Zedekiah the Last King of Judah. — Ihe Diadem and Crown Re- 
moved. — The Theocracy Broken Up. — No Vision from the Lord. — 
The Sun Goes Down on the Prophets. — A Sad Day for Judah. — 
Daniel Taken Captive, 238-251. 

CHAPTER XIV.— Another Opportunity.— Israel Permitted to Return.— 
Cyrus Issues the Decree. — As They Builded the House of the Lord 
the People Wept for Joy. — Decrees of Kings. — Their Opposers. — 
Israel Opposed as Traitors to the Government. — Jews Become Dis- 
couraged. — The Glory of the Two Houses Compared, 252-260. 

CHAPTER XV.— Ezra's Return.— Ezra Goes to Jerusalem.— He Finds 
Israel Backslidden. — Ezra Astonished. — Meeting Called and Israel 
Confesses. — Israel Greatly Afflicted. — Nehemiah's Sadness. — Nehe- 
miah's Permission from King of Persia to Go to Jerusalem. — Refor- 
mation Wrought by Him, 261-265. 



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CHAPTER L 

CREATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. 

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness 
was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God 
moved upon the face of the waters." Gen. i :i, 2. 

The word "beginning" has caused much comment, but 
we think this is unnecessary, as it is evident from the Scrip- 
tures themselves that it embraces the first thirty-three verses 
of the inspired Book, and refers to the work of God in the 
first seven days of the world's history, and is used as man 
uses the word when relating his experience in beginning a 
new work in a new place. To illustrate : A man locates in 
a new and uninhabited country. He afterward says, "In 
the beginning we built a house, cleared ten acres of land, 
planted an orchard, and made our first preparation for our 
future home." This man refers to a period of time as the 
beginning of his work. So God relates in these verses the 
work performed in the beginning. In the early part of 
this beginning, "the earth was without form, and void ; 
and darkness was upon the face of the deep." One trans- 
lation gives the words "without form" as "without adorn- 
ment, or fitness." This, we think, gives the proper thought ; 



17 



1 8 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

for everything- has some form or shape in order to exist. 
"Darkness was upon the face of the deep." This planet had 
not at this time been brought into action among the great 
systems of worlds, hence its revolutions did not bring the 
light of day upon it. The great motive power in this work 
of creation is stated to be the Spirit of God. It moved or 
brooded over the face of the waters. "By His Spirit He 
hath garnished the heavens." Job 26:13. 

"And God said, Let there be light ; and there was light. 
And God saw the light, that it was good ; and God divided 
the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, 
and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and 
the morning were the first day." Gen. 1 13-5. 

"And God said, Let there be light." Says the apostle 
Paul, "Through faith we understand that the worlds were 
framed by the word of God." Heb. 1 1 13. "For He spake, 
and it was; He commanded, and it stood fast." Ps. 33:9, 
R. V. God's will was that this uninhabited planet should 
now take its position in the great machinery of the universe, 
and by His word it was put in motion. And as a result, a 
hemisphere of light dawned upon this new world. There 
was now both darkness and light as the globe revolved upon 
its axis. "And the evening and the morning were the 
first day. 

"And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of 
the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which 
were under the firmament from the waters which were above 
the firmament; and it was so. And God called the firma- 
ment Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the 
second day." Gen. 1 :6~8. 

Although light had dawned upon the planet, yet it could 
not penetrate through the darkness of the earth's surround- 
ings ; and while light and darkness had been separated into 
day and night by the revolutions of the earth, the heavens 



Creation of Heaven and Earth, 19 

were ungarnished, and the place was not yet fully fitted for 
the habitation of man. The next work was the dividing of 
the firmament in the midst of the waters. The waters must 
be divided, and the firmament placed in their midst. This 
also is in harmony with the statement of the inspired Word 
where it says that the windows of heaven were opened, and 
the fountains of the great deep were broken up, at the time 
of the flood. This firmament God called heaven, and the 
apostle Paul recognizes this fact when he speaks of being 
caught up to the third heaven, thus implying that there was 
a first. "And the evening and the morning were the sec- 
ond day." Although the firmament was created on the 
second day, yet the light of heavenly origin could not pene- 
trate the darkness of the atmospheric heavens. 

"And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be 
gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land 
appear ; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth ; 
and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas; 
and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the 
earth' bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit 
tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon 
the earth; and it was so. And the earth brought forth 
grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree 
yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind ; and 
God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morn- 
ing were the third day." Gen. 1 :g- 13. 

The next thing in order in the preparation of man's home 
was the gathering of the waters under the firmament (or 
heavens) into one place, that the land might appear. "And 
it was so." These waters were called seas. The land now 
having appeared and separated from the water, God said, 
"Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and 
the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind." How naturally 
God does His work ! Thus vegetation was produced, and 
the tender plants, unaccustomed to the heat of the sun, were 



20 The Inspired History of the Nations, 

in this way first brought into existence and shielded, as it 
were, for a few moments from the rays of light, until they 
Avould be prepared to receive it in greater abundance on the 
following day. All God's works were wrought in wisdom. 
We set out our plants in the evening, and they are watered 
with the dews of night, and thus prepared for the morning 
light. The preparation for the creative work of the fourth 
day is now completed. The earth is covered with its carpet 
of green, the trees are clothed with foliage, and every pre- 
liminary provision of divine wisdom is made for the rays 
of light to shine upon the products of nature, and to invig- 
orate them with that element that they so much need in their 
growth. 

"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of 
the heaven to divide the day from the night ; and let them be 
for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years ; and let 
them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to giv** 
light upon the earth; and it was so. And God made two 
great lights ; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser 
light to rule the night; He made the stars [of our solar 
system] also. And God set them in the firmament of the 
heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day 
and over the night, and to divide the light from the dark- 
ness ; and God saw that it was good. And the evening and 
the morning were the fourth day." Verses 14-19. 

The fourth day marks the completion of the preparations 
overhead. The heavens are now garnished with the orbs of 
light. The earth is adorned by the Spirit of God. It is all 
pronounced good by the Maker whose hand hath created it. 
But were the work to stop here, it would be of no avail ; it 
could only be enjoyed by Him alone who had brought it into 
existence. But the great mind of the Maker had a different 
purpose in view. God is now fitting up a home for man, 
whom He intended to make in His own image and in His 
own likeness. This work of creation was done step by step. 



Creation of Heaven and Earth. 21 

On the fourth day light from the newly-made sun reaches 
the earth's surface itself. On the same day it penetrated 
through the space surrounding this world, called Tartarus, 
consisting of all interstellary spaces of our solar system. 
But not until the fourth day did it dawn upon the earth's sur- 
face as the divider between day and night. Now it could be 
said that day and night existed permanently on the earth, as 
these orbs were made to rule the day and the night respect- 
ively. When the earth was set in motion, and exposed to 
the hemispheric light of the first day of creation, covering 
one-half of the earth's surface, this light was seen divided 
from the darkness by the revolutions of the earth. As the 
veil was thus removed from the space surrounding the earth, 
light shone upon the planet itself. But the light from the 
sun did not reach the earth's surface until the fourth day. 
And a veil of darkness even now exists to a certain extent 
on the earth, as the result of sin, which intercepts the rays 
of the light from God's throne, hindering them from shin- 
ing on the surface of the earth to the extent that they did at 
the creation of the world ; for when Eden shall be restored 
to us as it was at the creation, light will again shine with 
its original luster, as it did on the fourth day. 

"Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of 
the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the 
light of seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the 
breach of His people, and healeth the stroke of their wound." 
Isa. 30:26. 

That this is the truth as given by inspiration will be 
shown later in this book, under the subject of the earth's 
desolation for one thousand years. At this time the light 
from these heavenly bodies, because of the prevailing dark- 
ness, will not shine upon the earth. 

We will now pass to the work of the fifth day. 

"And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly 
the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly 



22 The Inspired History of the Nations 

above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God 
created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, 
which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, 
and every winged fowl after his kind ; and God saw that it 
was good. And God blessed them, saying. Be fruitful, and 
multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multi- 
ply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were 
the fifth day." Gen. i 120-23. 

These scriptures show clearly that God never does any- 
thing without a purpose. It was as much His purpose to 
have the water and the firmament inhabited as it was to have 
the earth itself; and so God created these creatures and 
adapted them to the places made for them. These creatures 
were made to understand God's instruction. They were 
commanded to multiply, and inhabit the place given to them. 

"And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living crea- 
ture after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of 
the earth after his kind ; and it was so. And God made the 
beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, 
and everything that creepeth upon the earth after his kind ; 
and God saw that it was good." Verses 24, 25. 

The sixth day was the crowning act of God's work of 
creation. He begins the work by the creation of the various 
animals and creeping things upon the earth. And as we 
look over the earth, and see the great variety, and remember 
that, as they came from the hand of the Creator, they did 
not possess the disposition they now have, neither were they 
cruel in their natures, but were made for an ornament or 
adornment to Eden, it is a pleasure to meditate, and think 
of the work of God as it came from His hand. And in His 
own language He said it was "very good." But who would 
enjoy all that had been done at this time, had the work 
stopped here ? In His great heart of love God felt that there 
must be some one nearer to Him, some one who would be 
more closely associated with Him in this special work, to 



Creation of Heaven and Earth. 23 

share these blessings and pleasures with Him. There is no 
such thing as real pleasure to a lone individual. It is only 
by the associations with those who are adapted to like things 
that real pleasure is attained. This could not be realized 
with the association of the angels, for they were created 
beings themselves, and made to inhabit another planet. 
Hence there must be a production on this planet that would 
supply the connecting-link that would connect this world 
and the God who made it. This production was man. 

"And God said, Let us make man in Our image, after 
Our likeness ; and let them have dominion over the fish of 
the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and 
over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creep- 
eth upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, 
in the image of God created He him ; male and female cre- 
ated He them. And God blessed them, and God said unto 
them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and 
subdue it ; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and 
over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that 
moveth upon the earth." Verses 26-28. 

We do not realize in our present dwarfed, sinful condi- 
tion the nearness God intended should exist between man 
and his Maker. He says He made him in His own image. 
In Daniel the seventh chapter is given a description of the 
Father. In Revelation the first chapter is given a descrip- 
tion of His Son, showing that Christ is made in the image 
of His Father. The apostle says He was "the express im- 
age of His person," and now we have it stated that man also 
was made in His image. God did not only make him in 
His image, but He made him to have dominion and rule 
over all the works of His hand, so far as this world was 
concerned. And God blessed them, and said unto them, 
Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. It is 
evident that, had man never sinned, when this command was 
fulfilled, the increase of all created beings would have 



24 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

ceased. The Lord did not only give man dominion over 
all the works of His hands, but He prepared him a suste- 
nance, and the earth itself produced the food upon which 
he should subsist. 

"And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb 
bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and 
every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed ; 
to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, 
and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth 
upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every 
green herb for meat; and it was so. And God saw every- 
thing that He had made, and; behold, it was very good. 
And the evening and the morning were the sixth day." 
Verses 29-31. 

We will learn as Ave proceed in this study that all living 
creatures lived upon the life imparted to them through the 
Spirit of God, as it was breathed into their nostrils. And 
that Spirit was to perpetuate life to all things. It was never 
intended that man or beast should slay to eat, but every herb 
and every fruit should be for their food. There was one 
diet provided for all. There was not a poisonous vine, there 
was not a weed, not a poisonous reptile, nor a ravenous beast 
in all God's creation. But only life issued forth from every 
plant and everything that the hand of God had touched. 
Man himself enjoyed the power and privilege of giving 
names to all created beings, and, as God viewed all the work 
of His hands, He could but say that it was "very good." 

There was one more act necessary in order that the con- 
necting-link between man and God might never be broken. 
God never designed that man should lose sight of Him as 
the Creator and the Giver of every good and perfect gift. 
And as man would always enjoy these blessings, they should 
be a continual reminder to him of the source whence they 
came. Thus when he ate the food God had created, he 
would be continually reminded of the Creator. When he 



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m~kMj to my eoniraandment. 

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lemerhbep the sabMh day to keep it holy. 
V Six days shall" thou lahop, and do all thy wopK 
©a- But the seventh day is the sabbath of the x 
i7 LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any wopk, \ 
&& thou nop thy son, nop thy daughter thy man§BPV= ^ 
' anf, nop thy maidservant; nopthy eattle, nop thy 
strange? that is within thy gates: 
Fapin six days the LORD made heaven and 
eapfo thesea,and all that in them is, and 
peste'd the seventh day: wherefope the 
Lord blessed the sabbath day, 
and hallowed \\:\&.8o:M 



A SABBATH SCENE. 



Creation of Heaven and Earth. 27 

drove the beautiful horse, his mind should be carried from 
the animal to the Giver. When he looked upon the flowers, 
they should lead his mind to Him who made all these for 
man's pleasure. And when he looked over all the creation 
of God's hand, they were all to remind him of the Giver of 
all things. In order to teach man this lesson, there was 
still another day in the first seven days' history of the world, 
which must be devoted to the erection, as it were, of a mile- 
post to lead man from nature to nature's God. 

"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all 
the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended His 
work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh 
day from all His work which He had made." Gen. 2:1, 2. 

This brings to view the great memorial institution, made 
as a blessing to man. And had man always remembered 
this memorial, there ever would have been but one God 
worshiped in the world. God rested on the seventh day 
from all the work which He had done. He did not rest 
because He was tired or weary, but His purpose was to set 
an example to man, that he might in like manner devote 
that day to the worship and honor of Him who created all 
things. And, in order that this day might be a delight and 
a pleasure to man, God placed upon the day itself a divine 
blessing. Then He sanctified it. The word "sanctify" sig- 
nifies to appoint, or set apart for a sacred and religious use. 
He did not only appoint, sanctify, and set apart the day, 
but He also gave us the reason why He did it, — "because 
that in it He had rested from all His work which God cre- 
ated and made." Says Christ, "The Sabbath was made for 
man, and not man for the Sabbath." Man was not a serv- 
ant to the Sabbath, and he should not keep it from a point 
of servitude ; but it was made for man, to be a blessing, and 
to add to his pleasure and comfort as he lived in the world. 



2o The Inspired History of the Nations. 

CHRIST THE CREATOR. 

"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake 
in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these 
last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath ap- 
pointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the 
worlds." Heb. i :i, 2. The Son of God was the appointed 
agent of His Father in the creation of the world. It was 
the Son that spake, and it was done. It was He that "com- 
manded, and it stood fast." Says the apostle Paul, in Col. 
1 :i4-i7, "In whom we have redemption through His blood, 
even the forgiveness of sins ; who is the image of the invisible 
God, the first-born of every creature ; for by Him were, all 
things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, 
visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, 
or principalities, or powers ; all things were created by Him, 
and for Him; and He is before all things, and by Him all 
things consist." And- once more we read, but this time 
from the apostle John: "In the beginning was the Word, 
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. -The 
same was in the beginning with God." "And the Word 
was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld His 
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full 
of grace and truth." "All things were made by Him ; and 
without Flim was not anything made that was made." 
John 1:1, 2, 14, 3. These scriptures are very explicit con- 
cerning the preexistence of our Lord and the part He acted 
with His Father in the creation of the world. Thus it was 
Christ that rested from all His work which He had created 
and made. It was Christ^that blessed the seventh day. It 
was Christ that sanctified the seventh day ; it was Christ that 
made the Sabbath ; hence the institution was one of His own 
divine appointments ; and, when He was here upon the earth, 
He declared that He was Lord of the Sabbath day. John, 
in Rev. 1 :io, tells how he himself was in the Spirit on the 



Creation of Heaven and Earth. 29 

Lord's day, when he received the divine revelations which 
are recorded in that book. It was the Son of God who led 
Israel through the wilderness. "This is that Moses, which 
said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord 
your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me ; 
Him shall ye hear. This is He, that was in the church in the 
wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the Mount 
Sinai, and with our fathers ; who received the lively oracles 
to give unto us; to whom our fathers would not obey, but 
thrust Him from them, and in their hearts turned back again 
into- Egypt." Acts 7:37-39. 

The angel here referred to is Michael, the Archangel, 
whom other scriptures show to be Christ. It was He that 
spake in thunder tones on Mt. Sinai, and delivered to Moses 
these precepts on tables of stone, to be placed in the "ark, that 
they might be handed down from generation to generation, 
and be finally delivered unto us. 

This closes the first seven days of the world's history. 
Some have supposed that these periods of seven days were 
indefinite as to their length of time; but God said, "The eve- 
ning and the morning Avere the first day." Darkness and 
night were at first the surrounding state of this planet. But 
as it started on its revolution, the morning was produced as 
its surface was turned toward the light which God had made. 
Thus came the evening and the morning to be the first day. 
God made the sun to rule the day and the moon to rule the 
night, and stars also, on the fourth day. Were these indefi- 
nite periods, it would throw the whole universe of God's 
creation out of its regular order, and thus throw God's 
Word into confusion. It is not the object of the writer to 
enter into any argument on these questions. God's Word 
far surpasses all the sophistries of men. And, as we pro- 
ceed to study the inspired history from the Word, the reason- 
ableness of all its statements will be manifest to the seeker 
after truth. 



30 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

Beginning with chapter two, verse four, the Lord intro- 
duces a rehearsal of the creation of the world, and in this 
rehearsal He brings out the details more fully than in the 
history just passed over. He introduces this in the follow- 
ing language, "These are the generations of the heavens and 
of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord 
God made the earth and the heavens." In this scripture 
connection (verse 6) He also tells us that there was no rain, 
but the ground was watered with a mist that came up from 
the earth. He further states that, after He had created all 
things, "there was not a man to till the ground." He ex- 
plains how man was made out of the dust of the ground, 
and how God breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, 
man thus becoming a living soul, or living person. Now 
we are informed that there was a garden planted eastward 
in Eden. Eden was to be a resort for the whole world. 
He informs us how He made all the trees to grow, also the 
tree of life, and how man had the privilege of eating of all 
the trees, except of the tree of the knowledge of good and 
evil, and how there were four rivers made to water the dif- 
ferent parts of that portion of the earth. In this rehearsal 
we are furthermore enlightened that it was not good that 
man should be left alone, but that he should have a com- 
panion, meet or suitable for him; and how God took one 
of Adam's ribs, and made Eve, thus instituting the mar- 
riage relation between man and wife, showing how they 
should be joined together, and, though twain, be one flesh. 
He tells us of the creation of the beasts, and how Adam 
named them. The second chapter, from the fourth verse 
to its close, is a review in detail of the history of creation. 




CHAPTER II. 



THE TEMPTATION AND THE FALL. 



The third chapter of Genesis tells the story of the temp- 
tation, fall, and loss of dominion that God had given to man. 
And in this chapter is the foundation laid of all truth per- 
taining to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and without a knowl- 
edge of the principle portrayed in this chapter, the plan of 
redemption must have been forever a mystery to the mind 
of the student, however anxious he might have been to know 
the truth. 

"Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the 
field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the 
woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree 
of the garden ? And the woman said unto the serpent, We 
may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the 
fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God 
hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest 
ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not 
surely die ; for God cloth know that in the day ye eat thereof, 
then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, 
knowing good and evil." Gen. 3:1-5. 

This scripture introduces a conversation between Adam's 
companion and the serpent. The serpent was the most sub- 
tle (shrewd, intelligent, and cunning) of all the beasts of the 
field. Satan, who was at this time a fallen angel from the 

31 



32 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

heavenly world, tried to thwart God's purpose in creating 
this new planet. He appears to the one whom he could use 
to the best advantage. As to the manner of the conversa- 
tion between these two, and the power of communication, it 
is not stated whether the animal was endued with the power 
of speech in the beginning, or whether he was used by an- 
other power, which enabled him to speak as did Balaam's 
animal when he spoke to his rider. This we do not know. 
But we do know that the serpent uttered the first falsehood 
ever told to man. God had told Adam that they should not 
eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil ; that the 
death penalty was attached to such a crime, and that they 
should surely die if they did. The death here spoken of is 
plainly stated. "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou 
return." The serpent said, "Ye shall not surely die." And 
upon this falsehood Satan has practised deception through- 
out the world's history, by telling the world that death is 
only the gateway to eternal bliss, and that there is no such 
thing as real death, or cessation of existence. To lead the 
woman's mind sway from the truth, Satan tells her that, in- 
stead of this taking place, "then your eyes shall be opened, 
and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." In the 
last statement he did, however, tell the truth, and that was 
she should know good and evil. Prior to this man had 
never known evil, nor had he any evil tendencies. 

"And when the woman saw that the tree was good for 
food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be 
desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and 
did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he 
did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they 
knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves to- 
gether, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the 
voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of 
the day; and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the 
presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden." 
Verses 6-8. 



The Temptation and the Fall. 33 

Innocency is a garment the definition of which is given 
in the Bible as "the righteousness of saints." This right- 
eousness was complete in the experience of the first man and 
woman, and during that experience they were clothed with a 
halo of light, with the glory of God resting upon them ; but 
by their disobedience this was removed, and then they sought 
garments of their own making. Like all the disobedient, 
they were expecting condemnation, and were listening to 
hear when the Lord should approach. 

"And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in 
the garden in the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife 
hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst 
the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto 
Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, 
I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because 
I was naked; and I hid myself. And He said, Who told 
thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, 
whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 
And the man said, The woman whom Thou gavest to be 
with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the 
Lord God said unto the woman. What is this that thou hast 
done ? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and 
I did eat." Verses 8-13. 

How this conversation between the Lord and the guilty 
pair reminds us of our personal experience ! Instead of 
being frank and honest, and confessing our guilt, how nat- 
ural it is to try to excuse ourselves by allowing some one 
else to bear the responsibility ! Adam lays the blame on the 
Lord for giving him the woman, and when the question was 
put to the woman, "What is this that thou hast done?" she 
answered by saying, "The serpent beguiled me, and I did 
eat." And, as a result of this transgression, the Lord pro- 
nounced the curse that should fall upon each. They were 
all guilty alike, each one responsible for his own actions, all 
endued with sufficient knowledge and wisdom to know their 
3 



34 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

duty to their Creator, and hence it was a voluntary act upon 
their part. God pronounced a curse affecting the whole 
work of creation, in the following language : — 

"And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou 
hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above 
every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and 
dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life; and I will put 
enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed 
and her seed; and it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt 
bruise his heel. Unto the woman He said, I will greatly 
multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou 
shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy 
husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam He 
said, Because thou hast harkened unto the voice of thy wife, 
and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, say- 
ing, Thou shalt not eat of it; cursed is the ground for thy 
sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 
thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee ; and thou 
shalt eat the herb of the field ; in the sweat of thy face shalt 
thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground ; for out of 
it wast thou taken; for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt 
thou return. And Adam called his wife's name Eve; be- 
cause she was the mother of all living. Unto Adam also 
and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and 
clothed them." Verses 14-21. 

This curse is manifested to-day upon every hand, and, 
as sin increases, in whatever age of the world, it matters not, 
these curses will rest heavier on all things created by the 
hand of the Maker. Here is a principle that will be ever 
manifested in the world's history. 

The world no longer enjoys its Eden beauty. Thorns 
and thistles spring up from its soil. A spirit of alienation 
and rebellion enters the heart of man. A cruel nature enters 
all beasts ; man earns his bread by the sweat of his face ; the 
woman brings forth in sorrow ; the serpent crawls upon his 



The Temptation and the Fall. ^35 

belly; the enmity of all mankind is pronounced upon him; 
destroying insects are brought forth; poisonous vines and 
destructive weeds, which hinder man's progress and happi- 
ness, abound. All this is the result of disobedience. New 
provisions must now be made, and what plan must the Lord 
now devise? 

"And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as 
one of Us, to know good and evil ; and now, lest he put forth 
his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live 
forever; therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the 
garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was 
taken. So He drove out the man ; and He placed at the east 
of the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword which 
turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." 
Verses 22-24. 

Man had forfeited his right to the tree of life, that which 
was intended to perpetuate life in the world. He was driven 
away from the tree of life, taken out of the garden, and put 
out into the world to till the ground from whence he was 
taken. Angels, resplendent with glory like flaming swords, 
were placed to keep every way to the tree of life, so that man 
might not longer eat of it, and live forever. Had Adam still 
enjoyed the privilege of access to the tree of life, he would 
not have died, and sin would have been perpetuated in the 
world. Then we could have talked of immortal men. But 
God only having immortality, the connecting-link between 
man and immortal life being broken, he could but return to 
the dust from which he was taken, and be as though he had 
not been. And, had there been no further provision for 
man, death would have been an eternal sleep. But the hope- 
ful and interesting part of . the story of sinful man is still 
before us. 

A SECOND TRIAL FOR LIFE. 

Man is God's highest order of created beings. While 
he was created from the dust, and the Spirit of God was 



36 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

breathed into his nostrils, — the same Spirit that animated or 
made alive all other beings (Gen. 7:21, 22, and Job 27:3), 
— his intellectual power and knowledge were far superior to 
theirs, and hence he was more responsible for his actions. 
God did not make man an inanimate creature, but a free 
moral agent, endued with the power and privilege of choos- 
ing his own course, which privilege will never be taken from 
him. How thankful we ought to be that such is the case! 
And upon this principle God acted when He put man in the 
garden, on trial for life. God designed that man should 
appreciate this great privilege, and profit by it. Had he 
proved true to God, by obedience, he would still have 
retained his home and dominion over all the workmanship 
of God's hand, and so saved a world from ruin, and his own 
soul from death. 

Now a provision must be made whereby man could have 
another trial for life. But this time it must be by another 
plan, as the first one was lost. So Ave read, "But [the gos- 
pel, or plan of salvation] is now made manifest by the ap- 
pearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished 
death, and hath brought life and immortality to light 
through the gospel.'' 2 Tim. 1 :io. Adam was given a 
second trial for life as truly as he was given the first trial, 
but this time it is through the gospel of Jesus Christ. "For 
God so loved the world, that he gave His only-begotten Son, 
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have 
everlasting life." John 3:16. This verse tells the whole 
truth as to the feelings of the Creator toward the creatures 
He had made. Rather than have the whole world go to 
ruin, and man be forever lost in eternal death, He gave His 
own Son to die and pay the penalty, pass through the grave, 
and bring life and immortality to light through the resur- 
rection of the dead. And man was given hope, which hope 
is an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast. And every 
man and woman in the world to-day is as literally on trial 



The Temptation and t/ie Fall. 37 

for life as was Adam in the garden of Eden. They who 
have Christ have life; they who have not Christ shall not 
see life, but the wrath of God abideth upon them. This 
promise of the Redeemer was made in the third chapter of 
Genesis, in the following language, "And I will put enmity 
between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and 
her seed ; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his 
heel." Verse 15. This enmity between the seed of the 
woman, which is Christ, and the serpent, here representing 
Satan, has existed from that time forward, and will con- 
tinue to exist until the head of the serpent is finally bruised 
by his Conqueror, the Seed of the woman. Each one shall 
have his followers, until finally the great division will take 
place, when the controversy will be ended. 

"Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put 
Him to grief; when Thou shalt make His soul an offering 
for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, 
and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He 
shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied; 
by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many ; 
for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide 
Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil 
with the strong ; because He hath poured out His soul unto 
death; and He was numbered with the transgressors; and 
He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the 
transgressors." Isa. 53:10-12. 

Satan is a wily foe. We will learn more of his history 
later on. But it sufficeth us to say here that the world will 
never be converted to Christ, for the inspired historian has 
said, I will "divide Him a portion with the great, and He 
shall divide the spoil with the strong." There will be a vast 
multitude on both sides of this great question, but Christ 
will see the travail of His soul, and be satisfied. With these 
principles laid down, as introduced by the inspired penman, 
as related to the creation of the world, the fall of man, and 



38 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

the institution of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are now 
prepared to take up the history of man and the work of God 
as related thereto, as it is revealed in the Word of God, 
covering the history from generation to generation. 

CAIN AND ABEL. 

"And Adam knew Eve his wife ; and she conceived, and 
bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. 
And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a 
keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground." 
Gen. 4:1, 2. 

The birth of these two boys is recorded, as it chronicles 
the coming into existence of the first descendants of Adam, 
and from these two begins the history of man as related to 
the gospel of Christ. One of them, as we learn from the 
Scriptures, had faith in the gospel, and made his offering 
of the firstling of the flock, showing his faith in the prom- 
ised Redeemer. The other made his offering from the 
fruits of the ground, showing his lack of faith in the prom- 
ises made. When Cain was born, Eve supposed that he was 
the promised Seed. How little she realized what the history 
of the race would be, and the experiences they would pass 
through during the six thousand years before them ! 

When the Lord refused to accept Cain's offering, the 
spirit that was in him was made manifest. "But unto Cain 
and to his offering He had not respect. And Cain was very 
wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto 
Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance 
fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and 
if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto 
thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." 
Verses 5-7. This stirred Cain to wreak vengeance upon 
his innocent brother; not that Abel had wronged him, but 
that Abel had chosen to follow Christ, while Cain had 
chosen to follow Satan. We see from the following quo- 



The Temptation and the Fall. 39 

tation where the Saviour got His statement when He told 
the Pharisees during His ministry that Satan was "a mur- 
derer from the beginning" : — 

"And Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came 
to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up 
against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the Lord 
said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, 
I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And He said, 
What hast thou done ? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth 
unto Me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from 
the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy 
brother's blood from thy hand; when thou tillest the 
ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength ; 
a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. And 
Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I 
can bear. Behold, Thou hast driven me out this day from 
the face of the earth; and from Thy face shall I be hid; 
and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth ; and 
it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall 
slay me. And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whoso- 
ever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven- 
fold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding 
him should kill him. And Cain went out from the pres- 
ence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the 
east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, 
and bare Enoch ; and he build'ed a city, and called the name 
of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch." Verses 8-17. 

The division in the human family, which was to last 
throughout the world's history, began with these two boys. 
In the beginning of this history there are principles and 
statements made which are to govern these divisions 
throughout the world. God Himself designed that this 
separation should be very marked; and, while they were 
to live together in the world, they were to be separate and 
distinct from each other. As their leaders were separate 



40 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

and distinct, with different principles of government, so 
must this separation ever be kept up ; and in order to estab- 
lish this division, God placed a mark upon Cain. As He 
gave Abraham, later on, the sign of circumcision, a circle 
cut in the flesh, to separate him from the world, so God 
here placed a mark upon Cain. Cain and his wife moved 
to the land of Nod, and there began the history of his 
descendants. Verses 17-24 give a history of Cain and his 
descendants, thus establishing this branch of Adam's house. 

Then, referring to the closing verses of this chapter, the 
historian takes up the other line of the descendants of 
Adam, which represents those governed by a different prin- 
ciple, and who followed a different leader. "And Adam 
knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his 
name Seth ; for God, said she, hath appointed me another 
seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to 
him also there was born a son ; and he called his name Enos ; 
then began men to call upon the name of the Lord." 

Adam lived to the age of nine hundred and thirty years, 
and then died. Seth lived nine hundred and twelve years. 
Enos, the son of Seth, lived nine hundred and five years. 
Canaan lived nine hundred and ten years. Mahalaleel lived 
eight hundred and ninety-five years. Jared, his son, lived 
nine hundred and sixty-two years. Enoch, the son of 
Jared, lived three hundred and sixty-five years, and was 
translated without seeing death. Methuselah, his son, 
lived nine hundred and sixty-nine years. Lamech lived 
seven hundred and seventy and seven years. And Noah, 
his son, when he was five hundred years old, begat Shem, 
Ham, and Japheth. This man, with his wife, his three 
sons, and their wives, were preserved in the ark during the 
flood, and from them, through their posterity, the world 
again starts to make its history, as it did from the descend- 
ants of Adam. This covers the history of the world for 
nearly twenty- four hundred years. 




THE FLOOD. 



The Temptatio7i and the Fall. 43 

There is one point just prior to the flood to which we 
now wish to call attention. The great difficulty has been to 
keep up the line of separation between those who would 
serve God and those who would not serve Him. We now 
read : "And it came to pass, when men began to multiply 
on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto 
them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that 
they were fair ; and they took them wives of all which they 
chose. And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always 
strive with man, for that he also is flesh ; yet his days shall 
be an hundred and twenty years. . . . And God saw 
that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that 
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only 
evil continually." Gen. 6:1-5. 

It is the mingling of these classes that destroys spiritual 
life in the world, and as a result of this intermarriage rela- 
tion between the sons of God and the daughters of men, the 
earth was filled with violence, and became so corrupt that 
God destroyed the world with a flood. "The earth also 
was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with vio- 
lence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was 
corrupt ; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. 
And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come be- 
fore Me ; for the earth is filled with violence through them ; 
and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth." Verses 
n-13. 

Men lived to a great age before the flood, and their 
stature far exceeded that of man in this age of the world. 
"There were giants in the earth in those days; and also 
after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters 
of men, and they bare children to them, the same became 
mighty men which were of old, men of renown." Gen. 6 -.4. 

The lives of Adam, Methuselah, and Shem fully 
spanned the world's history from Adam to Abraham. 
Shem, who was born before the flood, lived to see Abraham. 



44 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

Two and two of all God's creation were carried by the ark 
to this side of the flood — by twos of all unclean beasts, and 
by sevens of the clean. 

"And God blessed Xoah and his sons, and said unto 
them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. 
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon 
every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, 
upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes 
of the sea ; into your hand are they delivered." Gen. 9:1, 2. 

The dominion that was given to Adam in the beginning 
was now given to Noah, and God also made a promise that 
He would destroy the world no more by water. This 
promise was to be a perpetual covenant, and, as a token of 
this covenant, the bow of promise was placed in the heavens. 
"And I will establish My covenant with you ; neither shall 
all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood ; neither 
shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And 
God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make 
between Me and you and every living creature that is with 
you, for perpetual generations : I do set My bow in the 
cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me 
and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a 
cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud ; 
and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me 
and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the 
waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 
And the bow shall be in the cloud ; and I will look upon it, 
that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God 
and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. 
And God said unto Noah, This is the token of My covenant, 
which I have established between Me and all flesh that is 
upon the earth." Verses 11-17. 

The three sons of Noah who left the ark were Shem, 
Ham, and Japheth. "And of them was the whole earth 
overspread." Gen. 9:19. This is a very important point 



The Temptation and the Fall. 45 

in the inspired history of the world; for the locations 
chosen by these men, and the names given their colonies 
or places settled by them, are important points in the study 
of the future history of the world. This is especially true 
of the grandsons of Noah. 

"Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, 
Shem, Ham, and Japheth ; and unto them were sons born 
after the flood. The sons of Japheth ; Gomer, and Magog, 
and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. 
And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and 
Togarmah. And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tar- 
shish, Kittim, and Dodanim. By these were the isles of the 
Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, 
after their families, in their nations." Gen. 10:1-5. 

The lands of the grandsons of Noah are mentioned 
throughout the world's history, and especially is this true 
of the lands of Magog, Meshech, and Tubal, as mentioned 
in the thirty-eighth chapter of Ezekiel. And in order to 
understand the inspired history or prophecy concerning the 
latter days, it is necessary to understand or know to what 
regions these grandsons of Noah emigrated. 

The next in order in this chapter is to trace the descend- 
ants of Ham. One of his descendants was the mighty 
hunter, or persecutor of God's people, Nimrod, who became 
the founder of the Babylonian Empire, over two thousand 
years before Christ. 

Shem was the next in order, and the location of his sons 
was as follows, "And their dwelling was from Mesha, as 
thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east." Gen. 10:30. 

Gomer, the son of Japheth, and the grandson of Noah, 
located both north and south of the Black Sea, the latter 
part being now the land of the Turks. Togarmah, another 
descendant of Noah, located east of Gomer, and southeast 
of the Black Sea, now the land of Armenia. Meshech 
settled between Togarmah and the Black Sea. Magog, 



46 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

another grandson, settled in the land now called Russia. 
Ashkenaz, the great-grandson of Noah, located south and 
west of the Black Sea. This is a country lying east of 
Greece. Tubal was another grandson of Noah. His 
country was directly east of the Black Sea. 

Ham's sons, Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and Canaan, located 
in northern Africa and also in Arabia. Nimrod, as before 
stated, was the founder of the Babylonian Empire. 

The sons of Shem were Elim, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, 
and Aram. These settled in Arabia, adjoining the north- 
ern and eastern borders of Palestine. 

Let the reader study the attached map, and fix these 
locations in his mind. These names and the countries they 
represent will be spoken of relative to the closing events of 
the world's history, and it is for this reason that we give the 
ancient map representing these countries ; for without it we 
would be left very much in the dark regarding the prophetic 
statements made in regard to them. 

"These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their 
generations, in their nations ; and by these were the nations 
divided in the earth after the flood." Gen. 10:32. 

At this time, says the Bible, the whole land was of one 
language and one speech. The event which scattered these 
descendants of Noah was the building of the tower of Babel. 
And, in order to prevent this foolish move, and to break up 
the idea the people had of preparing for another flood, the 
Lord scattered them to the countries mentioned. "So the 
Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all 
the earth; and they left off to build the city. Therefore is 
the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there con- 
found the language of all the earth ; and from thence did the 
Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." 
Gen. 1 1 :8, 9. 

Abram was a descendant of Shem, a grandson of Nahor, 



The Temptation and the Fall. 47 

and a son of Terah. Lot was a descendant of Abram's 
brother, and these two men emigrated from the land of Ur 
of the Chaldees. Thus we have the history of the world 
for two thousand years, from the creation to the time of 
Abraham. 



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to 



CHAPTER III. 



ABRAHAMIC AND MOSAIC COVENANTS. 



It will be necessary, in order to get a clear understand- 
ing of the theocracy of Israel, that we devote a brief time 
to a consideration of the covenants with Abraham and 
Israel. We will first notice the covenant the Lord made 
with Abraham. The days of Abraham, four hundred 
years after the flood, were days of evil. The world had 
again gone into idolatry, and the Lord called Abraham for 
the purpose of forming a nucleus around which He could 
again build up a barrier against the inroads of sin. 

"Now the Lord said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy 
country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, 
unto a land that I will show thee; and I will make of thee 
a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name 
great; and thou shalt be a blessing; and I will bless them 
that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee ; and in thee 
shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram de- 
parted, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went 
with him ; and Abram was seventy and five years old when 
he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his 
wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that 
they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in 
Haran ; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan ; 
and into the land of Canaan they came." Gen. 12:1-5. 

Abraham immediately started on the journey, having 

48 



Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants. 49 

perfect confidence in God, that He was able to perform what 
He had promised, and moved toward the land of Canaan. 
On his arrival in Canaan, the most favorable reception did 
not await him. "And there was a famine in the land; 
and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for 
the famine was grievous in the land." Gen. 12:10. 

These circumstances would have caused many to have 
returned, but Abraham and his wife went down to Egypt, 
and there he met still a great danger, for it was with 
difficulty that he saved his wife to himself. But, after 
remaining three years, Abraham returned to Canaan. The 
Lord had prospered him while in Egypt, but he had not 
forgotten the Lord's promise, and returned to the land of 
Canaan. "And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his 
wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. 
And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in 
gold." Gen. 13:1, 2. 

On returning to Canaan with Lot, his nephew, there 
was not sufficient sustenance for their herds. Lot pitched 
his tent towards Sodom, and Abraham remained on the 
plains. Three years later the Lord again appeared to 
Abraham, and the conversation took place between Abra- 
ham and the Lord as to the promised heir. 

"After these things the word of the Lord came unto 
Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram; I am thy 
shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, 
Lord God, what wilt Thou give me, seeing I go childless, 
and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 
And Abram said, Behold, to me Thou hast given no seed; 
and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, 
the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall 
not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine 
own bowels shall be thine heir. And He brought him forth 
abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the 
stars, if thou be able to number them; and He said unto 



50 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; 
and He counted it to him for righteousness. And He said 
unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of 
the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it." And he 
said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit 
it? And He said unto him, Take Me a heifer of three 
years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram 
of three years old, and a turtle dove, and a young pigeon. 
And. he took unto Him all these, and divided them in the 
midst, and laid each piece one against another; but the 
birds divided he not. And when the fowls came down 
upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away. And when 
the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; 
and, lo, a horror of great darkness fell upon him. And 
He said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall 
be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve 
them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years." 

Gen. 15:1-13- 

The Lord now, in order to confirm Abram' s faith, 
and to assure him that Eliezer was not the heir, confirmed 
the promise by an oath, and, according to the custom of 
the East, when a covenant was made and confirmed by an 
oath, the ceremonies here described were gone through. 
The apostle Paul, in speaking of this, gives the following 
comment : — 

'Tor when God made promise to Abraham, because 
He could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself, say- 
ing, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I 
will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, 
he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the 
greater; and an oath for confirmation is to them an end 
of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to 
show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His 
counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable 
things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might 



Abraliamic and Alosaic Covenants. 5 l 

have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay 
hold upon the hope set before us; which hope we have as 
an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which 
entereth into that within the vail." Heb. 6:13-19. 

Several years had now passed, and the sixteenth chap- 
ter of Genesis records a mutual agreement between Sarah 
and Abram; how they took the matter into their own 
hands, believing it to be the mind of the Lord, as Sarah was 
barren; hence Hagar, the handmaid, was chosen to be the 
mother of the promised seed. But the Lord now appears 
to Abram, and informs him that Sarah should be the 
mother. 

"And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the 
Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the 
Almighty God ; walk before Me, and be thou perfect. And 
I will make My covenant between Me and thee, and will 
multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face; 
and God talked with him, saying, As for Me, behold, My 
covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many 
nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called 
Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of 
many nations I have made thee. And I will make thee ex- 
ceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings 
shall come out of thee. And I will establish My covenant 
between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their gener- 
ations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee 
and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, 
and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a 
stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting posses- 
sion; and I will be their God." Gen. 17:1-8. 

Five years more have now passed, and yet the prom- 
ised seed has not appeared. This was becoming a question 
with the servant of the Lord, and a sure trial of faith, as 
long years had passed since he left his father's land and 
settled in this strange country. The Lord talks further 



52 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

with him upon the question, and assures him that His 
promises are sure. 

"And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, 
thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her 
name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also 
of her; yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of 
nations; kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham 
fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart. Shall 
a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? and 
shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham 
said unto God, Oh that Ishmael might live before Thee! 
And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed ; 
and thou shalt call his name Isaac ; and I will establish 
My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and 
with his seed after him. But My covenant will I estab- 
lish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set 
time in the next year." Verses 15-21. 

Abraham's faith almost wavered, and doubts entered 
his mind, and the record says he laughed when the Lord 
made the promise, and said to the Lord, "Oh that Ishmael 
might live before Thee !" Ishmael was the son of Hagar, 
but this did not meet the mind of the Lord. Later the Lord 
appeared to him in the plains of Mamre, as he sat in the 
tent door; and He informed him again that Sarah should 
be the mother. 

"And they said unto him. Where is Sarah thy wife? 
And he said, Behold, in the tent. And He said, I will 
certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, 
lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it 
in the tent door, which was behind Him. Now Abraham 
and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased 
to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore 
Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed 
old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And 
the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, 



Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants. 53 

saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 
Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed 
I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and 
Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I 
laughed not; for she was afraid. And He said, Nay; but 
thou didst laugh." Gen. 18:9-15. 

Man reasons from circumstances and from the things 
with which he is acquainted. He does not always stop 
to think that He that made all things is greater than the 
thing that is made. So God, in trying this aged couple, 
lets the opportune time pass, according to all natural events. 
He now manifests His power, and fulfils the promise. 
After more careful consideration, this aged couple would 
not give up their faith in God, but believed that what the 
Lord had promised, He was able to perform. The apostle 
Paul comments on this as follows : — 

"(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many 
nations), before Him whom he believed, even God, who 
quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not 
as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, 
that he might become the father of many nations, accord- 
ing to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And 
being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body 
now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither 
yet the deadness of Sara's womb; he staggered not at the 
promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, 
giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that what 
He had promised He was able also to perform. And there- 
fore it was imputed to him for righteousness." Rom. 
4:17-22. 

Years passed by; the child grew to be a young man. 
The father had learned to love him as his only son by 
promise ; but the Lord was not yet through with Abraham 
in the test of faith. He appears to him once more, to make 
the final test. 



54 The Inspired History oj eke Nations. 

"And it came to pass after these things that God did 
tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham ; and he said. 
Behold, here I am. And He said, Take now thy son, thine 
only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land 
of Moriah ; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon 
one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abra- 
ham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and 
took two of his young men with him. and Isaac his son. 
and clave the wood for the burnt-offering, and rose up, 
and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then 
on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the 
place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men. 
Abide ye here with the ass ; and I and the lad will go yonder 
and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took 
the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac his 
son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife: and they 
went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abra- 
ham his father, and said, My father ; and he said, Here am 
I, my son. And he said. Behold the fire and the wood; 
but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering? And Abra- 
ham said, My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for 
a burnt-offering ; so they went both of them together. And 
they came to the place which God had told him of; and 
Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, 
and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon 
the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and 
took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord 
called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abra- 
ham ; and he said. Here am I. And He said. Lay not thine 
hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him; 
for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast 
not withheld thy son, thine only son, from Me. And Abra- 
ham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him 
a ram caught in a thicket by his horns : and Abraham went 
and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt-offering 
in the stead of his son/' Gen. 22:1-13. 



Abrahqmic and Mosaic Covenants. 57 

This is the record of Abraham's final test, as Paul 
states, he believed if he took his son's life, God, if necessary, 
would raise him from the dead. Abraham, without wav- 
ering, goes on a three days' journey, to carry out the in- 
struction of the Lord. He had time for meditation. After 
the preparations were all made, and lie raises his hand to 
make the final blow, then the command is: "Do the child 
no harm. Now I know thou fearest God." This em- 
braced as much as thirty to forty years of the patriarch's 
life, from the time he left the land of his nativity till the 
time the final test was made. This made Abraham the 
father of the faithful, and through him all the nations of 
the earth were to be blessed. The seed had a twofold 
application, — first, to the literal descendants; second, to 
Christ. Gal. 3:16: "Now to Abraham and his seed were 
the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of 
many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." 

The literal seed was to become a mighty nation in this 
world; but before they were to be established as a nation, 
they were to serve four hundred years in Egypt. "And 
He said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall 
be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve 
them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; and 
also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge; and 
afterward shall they come out with great substance." 
Gen. 15:13, 14. 

This covenant made with Abraham was confirmed by 
an oath of God. "For when God made promise to Abra- 
ham, because He could swear by no greater, He sware by 
Himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and 
multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had 
patiently endured, "he obtained the promise. For men verily 
swear by the greater; and an oath for confirmation is to 
them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more 
abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immu- 



58 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

tability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by 
two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God 
to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled 
for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us; which 
hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stead- 
fast, and which entereth into that within the veil." Heb. 
6:13-19. 

This covenant having been confirmed by the oath of 
God, was as firm and real as if the death of the testator 
had taken effect. The oath of God put this covenant in 
force at that time, otherwise it would not have been of 
force till the death of the promised seed. Gal. 3:16. It 
was later ratified by the blood of Christ. This covenant 
is called the everlasting covenant, and was first made with 
Adam, and consisted of the principles of the plan of sal- 
vation, by which every believer is saved. We all become 
children of God in the same manner as Abraham became 
a child of God (Gal. 3:11), namely, by faith. 

"So then they which be of faith are blessed with faith- 
ful Abraham." Gal. 3 :g. This covenant was made with 
Abraham as an individual, and so all who enter into this 
covenant relation with God and are saved must do so as 
individuals. Abraham was a patriarch, which implies 
that he was the head of the family, including all who were 
adopted into his family, as well as his literal seed. Abra- 
ham was the head of the theocratic form of government. 
The condition of the membership of this government was 
circumcision. This was a circle cut in the flesh, a mark 
indicating that they had been cut out and separated from 
the world and joined to the family of Abraham, and that 
the seed should not henceforth mingle with the world. 
They were to be connected with God's kingdom on earth, 
with Melchisedec as king of peace and high priest. "For 
this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high 
God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the 



Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants. $ 9 

kings, and blessed him ; to whom also Abraham gave a tenth 
part of all ; first being by interpretation King of righteous- 
ness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King 
of peace; without father, without mother, without descent, 
having neither beginning of days, nor end of life ; but made 
like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually." 
Heb. 7:1-3. To this man Abraham paid tithes. Now 
consider how great this man was, unto whom even the 
patriarch Abraham gave a tithe of the spoil, and thus sup- 
ported the spiritual kingdom of God. 

The territory of this nation in this life was to be in the 
land of Canaan, which was to be a type of the whole earth 
in the life, or world, to come. Isaac was the son of Abra- 
ham, and Jacob was the grandson. To him were born 
twelve sons; and these became the heads of twelve tribes. 
During their sojourn and bondage in Egypt, they lost, to 
a great extent, their knowledge of the worship of the true 
God and of His laws. 

The time at last arrives for the fulfilment of the prom- 
ise to Abraham. The psalmist David makes the historical 
connection from Abraham to Moses as follows : "O ye seed 
of Abraham His servant, ye children of Jacob His chosen. 
He is the Lord our God ; His judgments are in all the earth. 
He hath remembered His covenant forever, the word which 
He commanded to a thousand generations ; which covenant 
He made with Abraham, and His oath unto Isaac; and 
confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for 
an everlasting covenant; saying, Unto thee will I give the 
land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance ; when they 
were but a few men in number ; yea, very few, and strangers 
in it." Ps. 105 :6-i2. This also shows that, whatever 
covenant the > Lord may make with Israel as they are led 
out of Egyptian bondage, it must be in harmony and can 
not disannul the covenant made with Abraham. 

They are led out of Egypt, and brought to the base of 



60 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

Mount Sinai. The Lord now begins the instruction nec- 
essary to bring them back into a true relationship with 
Himself and to the Abrahamic covenant. Here the Lord 
made them the following proposition as a nation : — 

"Now therefore, if ye w T ill obey My voice indeed, and 
keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure 
unto Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And 
ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy 
nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto 
the children of Israel." Ex. 19:5, 6. 

To this the people agreed. "And Moses came and 
called for the elders of the people, and laid before their 
faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. 
And all the people answered together, and said, All that 
the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned 
the words of the people unto the Lord." Ex. 19:7, 8. 

God's covenant, which they were required to obey, is 
explained by Moses in the book of Deuteronomy. "And 
the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire; ye 
heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only 
ye heard a voice. And He declared unto you His cove- 
nant, which He commanded you to perform, even ten com- 
mandments ; and He wrote them upon two tables of stone." 
Deut. 4:12, 13. 

Bear in mind the ten commandments were God's con- 
stitution or law of His government before any agreement 
or covenant is completed with Israel. But when an agree- 
ment is completed with Israel, that agreement will be a 
covenant between God and Israel. This is a point that 
should be well remembered by the reader, as some are teach- 
ing that the covenant made with the house of Israel and 
the house of Judah is the ten commandments, or God's 
covenant. This teaching is as false and as far from the 
truth as it could possibly be. 

To God's proposition Israel consented. The twentieth 



Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants, 6 1 

chapter of Exodus gives the law of the ten commandments 
as uttered by God's own voice on Sinai. In the twenty-first, 
twenty-second, and twenty-third chapters of Exodus, are 
clivers laws and ordinances, revealing principles and judg- 
ments, which grow out of this great law of truth, which 
were to govern Israel as the civil code of the nation. 
When these laws were thus given to Moses, He again comes 
to Israel, as revealed in the twenty- fourth chapter ; in order 
that they might fully understand the agreement they were 
making, He again lays the whole matter before them. 

"And He said unto Moses, Come up unto the Lord, 
thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the 
elders of Israel ; and worship ye afar off. And Moses alone 
shall come near the Lord; but they shall not come nigh, 
neither shall the people go up with him. 

"And Moses came and told the people all the words of 
the Lord, and all the judgments; and all the people an- 
swered with one voice, and said, All the words which the 
Lord hath said will we do. And Moses wrote all the words 
of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and builded 
an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the 
twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the 
children of Israel, which offered burnt-offerings, and sac- 
rificed peace-offerings of oxen unto the Lord. And Moses 
took half of the blood, and put it in basins ; and half of the 
blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book 
of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people; 
and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and 
be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it 
on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, 
which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these 
words." Ex. 24:1-8. 

This closes the covenant with Israel, which was an out- 
growth of the covenant made with Abraham. This cove- 
nant is different from the one made with Abraham. It is 



62 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

made with the whole people ; the other was made with an in- 
dividual This is a national covenant, with the covenant 
with Abraham as a basis. Abraham kept God's command- 
ments : "Because that Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept 
My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws." 
x\nd so Israel are required to do the same. This is to be a 
kingdom of priests and an holy nation. During Abra- 
ham's time the government was administered by one priest 
and king. 

Under the Mosaic covenant they promised to obey the 
law. To it belonged the Aaronic priesthood, with many 
priests. The Abrahamic covenant was made with one 
individual, the Mosaic with the whole nation. The Abra- 
hamic was an everlasting covenant. The Mosaic lasted 
till the seed should come. The Abrahamic covenant was 
confirmed by an oath of God, the Mosaic with blood. "And 
Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, 
and all of the judgments ; and all the people answered with 
one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath 
said will we do." 

The next instruction to Israel was "that they bring Me 
an offering; of every man that giveth it willingly with his 
heart ye shall take My offering. And this is the offering 
which ye shall take of them; gx>ld, and silver, and brass, 
and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' 
hair, and rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and 
shittim wood, oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and 
for sweet incense, onyx stones, and stones to be set in the 
ephod, and in the breastplate. And let them make Me a 
sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." Ex. 25 :2-8. 

Thus the Lord introduces, from Exodus 25 to the close 
of the thirty-first chapter, the remedial typical system for 
sin, — the sanctuary service, the institution of the priest- 
hood, the erection of the tabernacle, and all the offerings 
connected with it. As the theocracy was both civil and 



Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants. 6$ 

religious, both systems became a part of the Jewish econ- 
omy, and it requires all to make up and compose the cove- 
nant with Israel. The covenant was first civil in its nature, 
but a government ruled by God needed the remedial system 
for sin as well. 

Under the Abrahamic covenant the law was written in 
the heart. Under the Mosaic the law was written on tables 
of stone, and the laws, ceremonial, civil, and sanitary, gov- 
erning the nation, in a book. The former was ratified by 
the blood of Christ, the latter by the blood of bulls and 
goats. Other points of distinction might be made, but 
these are sufficient to show the reader a marked difference 
between the two. Moses was in the mount on the last occa- 
sion forty days and forty nights. And as he came down 
from the mount, the Lord gave him the ten command- 
ments, which was His covenant (not the agreement made 
between Him and His people), written on two tables of 
stone. "And He gave unto Moses, when He had made an 
end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai, two tables 
of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of 
God." Ex. 31:18. 

During this forty days' communion in the mount, the 
people began to reason among themselves, saying, "Moses 
will never return;" and their minds were at once drawn 
back to Egypt, and to the gods they had served there, and, 
as recorded in the thirty-second chapter of Exodus, they 
made a calf to represent their former god, and bowed them- 
selves down to worship it, and said, "These be thy gods, O 
Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of 
Egypt." They had now broken their covenant with the 
Lord and turned their hearts back from Him to Egypt. 

"And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, 
and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people; now therefore let 
Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, and 
that I may consume them ; and I will make of thee a great 



64 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

nation. And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, 
Lord, why doth Thy wrath wax hot against Thy people, 
which Thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt 
with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore 
should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did He 
bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to con- 
sume them from the face of the earth? Turn from Thy 
fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against Thy people. 
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Thy servants, to 
whom Thou swarest by Thine own self, and saidst unto 
them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and 
all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your 
seed, and they shall inherit it forever. And the Lord 
repented of the evil which He thought to do unto His 
people. And Moses turned, and went down from the 
mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his 
hand; the tables were written on both their sides; on the 
one side and on the other were they written. And the 
tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writ- 
ing of God, graven upon the tables." Ex. 32:9-16. 

Moses turned at once to go down to the people. "And 
it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that 
he saw the calf, and the dancing; and Moses' anger waxed 
hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them 
beneath the mount. And he took the calf which they had 
made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and 
strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel 
drink of it." Verses 19, 20. 

Moses next inquires into the matter of his brother 
Aaron, asking why they had done this terrible thing. 
Aaron excused himself by trying to make it appear that 
it was an accident that the calf came out of the fire as a 
result of the melting of the gold cast in. 

"And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said 
unto the people,' Ye have sinned a great sin ; and now I will 




MOSES BREAKING THE TABLES OF STONE. 
5 



AbraJiamic and Mosaic Covenants. 67 

go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atone- 
ment for your sin. And Moses returned unto the Lord, 
and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have 
made them gods of gold ! Yet now, if Thou wilt forgive 
their sin — ; and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy 
book which Thou hast written. And the Lord said unto 
Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot 
out of My book. Therefore now go, lead the people unto 
the place which I have spoken unto thee; behold, Mine 
Angel shall go before thee; nevertheless in the day when 
I visit I will visit their sin upon them. And the Lord 
plagued the people, because they made the calf which Aaron 
made." Verses 30-35. 

Moses in this instance was a representative of Christ 
as a mediator. He stands between the Father and the 
people, and pleads their cause. As a result of this plead- 
ing, the Lord told him to go and lead the people into the 
land He had promised to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, 
"unto a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not 
go up in the midst of thee ; for thou art a stiff-necked peo- 
ple ; lest I consume thee in the way." Ex. 33 13. 

This did not fully satisfy Moses. He was not willing 
to go unless the breach that had been made upon the part 
of the people was fully restored, and God's presence should 
be with him. 

"And Moses said unto the Lord, See, Thou sayest unto 
me, Bring up this "people ; and Thou hast not let me know 
whom Thou wilt send with me; yet Thou hast said, I know 
thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in My sight. 
Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found grace in Thy 
sight, show me now Thy way, that I may know Thee, that 
I may find grace in Thy sight ; and consider that this nation 
is Thy people. And He said, My presence shall go with 
thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto Him, 
If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. 



68 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

For wherein shall it be known here that I and Thy people 
have found grace in Thy sight? Is it not in that Thou 
goest with us ? so shall we be separated, I and Thy people, 
from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. 
And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also 
that thou hast spoken; for thou hast found grace in My 
sight, and I know thee by name." Verses 12-17. 

Moses, as a representative of the people, is now fully 
restored to the favor of the Lord. He makes one more 
plea to the Lord, by saying, "I beseech Thee, show me 
Thy glory." The Lord answered and said, "I will make 
all My goodness pass before thee." 

"And the Lord said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables 
of stone like unto the first; and I will write upon these 
tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou 
brakest. And be ready in the morning, and come up in 
the morning unto Mount Sinai, and present thyself there 
to Me in the top of the mount. And no man shall come 
up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all 
the mount" Ex. 34:1-3. 

Moses went into the mount, as he had been instructed, 
and took the two tables of stone with him. "And the Lord 
passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The 
Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and 
abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thou- 
sands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and 
that will by no means clear the guilty ; visiting the iniquity 
of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's 
children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. And 
Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, 
and worshiped. And he said, If now I have found grace 
in Thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray Thee, go among 
us; for it is a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity 
and our sin, and take us for Thine inheritance. And He 
said, Behold, I make a covenant; before all thy people I 



Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants. 69 

will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, 
nor in any nation ; and all the people among which thou 
art shall see the work of the Lord ; for it is a terrible thing 
that I will do with thee. Observe thou that which I com- 
mand thee this clay; behold, I drive out before thee the 
Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Periz- 
zite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite." "And he was there 
with the Lord forty days and forty nights ; he did neither 
eat bread nor drink water. And He wrote upon the tables 
the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. And 
it came to pass, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai 
(with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when 
he came down from the mount), that Moses wist not that 
the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. And 
when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, be- 
hold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to 
come nigh him. And Moses called unto them; and Aaron 
and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him ; 
and Moses talked with them. And afterward all the chil- 
dren of Israel came nigh; and he gave them in command- 
ment all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. 
And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail 
on his face. But when Moses went in before the Lord to 
speak with Him, he took the vail off, until he came out. 
And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that 
which he was commanded. And the children of Israel saw 
the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone; and 
Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to 
speak with Him." Ex. 34:6-11, 28-35. 

Reconciliation now being complete, and the breach 
being fully healed, the Lord begins again with the thirty- 
fifth chapter of Exodus, and continues till the close of the 
book, giving further instructions concerning the sanctuary 
service, the priesthood, and the remedial system. Thus we 
have a complete history of the covenant made with Israel 
as a nation, as recorded in the book of Exodus. 



Jo The Inspired History of the Nations. 

Now the question may arise. Why was the Mosaic cov- 
enant made with Israel at this time ? 

The answer is clear : The Mosaic covenant was for the 
purpose of educating Israel and bringing them back to the 
principles of the Abrahamic covenant. Paul clearly states 
that this covenant could not disannul the covenant made 
with Abraham. "Brethren, I speak after the manner of 
men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be con- 
firmed, no man disannulleth, or acldeth thereto. Now to 
Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith 
not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy 
Seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, 
that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which 
was four hundred and thirty years after, can not disannul, 
that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the 
inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise ; but God 
gave it to Abraham by promise." Gal. 3:15-18. 

Then, if it could not disannul the former, it must have 
been for the purpose of bringing them back to it. It could 
in no sense be opposed or contrary to it, but merely to 
establish the former. Remember, then, that the Mosaic 
covenant was to take the place of a teacher, to bring Israel 
to the Abrahamic covenant, where they would accept of 
God by faith, as did Abraham. 

The giving of the ten commandments on Sinai did not 
change the nature of the law as it previously existed, but it 
did serve to make a deep impression on Israel concerning 
the true God. The tabernacle service, the Aaronic priest- 
hood, and the law governing the sacrifices, in all the vari- 
ous forms, did impress them with a wonderful lesson 
regarding the priesthood of Melchisedec, to which the true 
tabernacle service pertained. 

There was a special purpose why the law was spoken 
in such grandeur, and why it was written on tables of stone. 
This purpose is plainly stated by the inspired penman : 



Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants. J I 

"And the Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in 
a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with 
thee, and believe thee forever. . And Moses told the words 
of the people unto the Lord." Ex. 19:9. 

Then, after the Lord had spoken to the people, it made 
such a wonderful impression on their minds that "they 
said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear; 
but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said 
unto the people, Fear not; for God is come to prove you, 
and that His fear may be before your faces, that ye sin 
not." Ex. 20:19, 20. 

The apostle Paul takes up this matter, and gives us 
the real purpose of the Mosaic covenant as it existed, 
and why it was instituted. No new feature in the plan of 
salvation was instituted, and no change had been made from 
the principles involved in the Abrahamic covenant; but the 
lessons involved in the Abrahamic covenant were all illus- 
trated and drawn out in actual service before the people. 

"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the 
sum : We have such an High Priest, who is set on the right 
hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a min- 
ister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which 
the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is 
ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it is of 
necessity that this Man have somewhat also to offer. For 
if He were on earth He should not be a priest, seeing that 
there are priests that offer gifts according to the law; who 
serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as 
Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make 
the tabernacle ; for, See, saith He, that thou make all things 
according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount." 
Heb. 8:1-5. 

The national laws served as an important lesson for 
Israel in regard to that government, which was the kingdom 
of God. Hence, this covenant, and especially the law in 



y2 The Inspired History of tJie Nations. 

the book of the covenant, and the divine service connected 
therewith, were designed to serve as a teacher, to bring 
them to a knowledge of faith in the Abrahamic covenant. 
So Paul says in Galatians : — 

' \Yherefore then serveth the law? It was added be- 
cause of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom 
the promise was made ; and it was ordained by angels in 
the hand of a Mediator. Xow a mediator is not a mediator 
of one. but God is one. Is the law then against the prom- 
ises of God? God forbid; for if there had been a law 
given which could have given life, verily righteousness 
should have been by the law. But the Scripture hath con- 
cluded all under sin. that the promise by faith of Jesus 
Christ might be given to them that believe. But before 
faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the 
faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore 
the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that 
we might be justified by faith/' Gal. 3:19-24. 

This covenant was made, in addition to the Abrahamic 
covenant, to instruct Israel in the way of God. That is, 
it served to impress upon their minds not only their need 
of a Saviour, but also the gracious promise of the Lord in 
the Abrahamic covenant to provide for them a Redeemer, 
and so served to bring them to Christ. 

By following Israel in their deliverance, and consider- 
ing the circumstances which they were in, it will lead us 
to the true principles involved in the formation of the 
Mosaic covenant. They had seen God's power in the pres- 
ervation of the first-born of all their children, the miracles 
of the ten plagues poured upon the Egyptians, their deliv- 
erance at the Red Sea, and the destruction of the Egyptian 
host. This taught them lessons of love and confidence in 
the God of Israel. Xow, as they came to Sinai, they were 
not hypocritical in their acceptance of God's propositions, 
but, as a new believer now comes to the Lord. thev. in all 



Abraliamic and Mosaic Covenants. 73 

sincerity, agreed to keep God's commandments; but they 
were not aware of their human weakness. When they 
made this agreement with the Lord, they did what was 
right, and. the only thing in justice they could do; hence 
their education must be step by step. After they failed 
to carry out their promise, they were sad, and could not 
hope for God's favor. Now was the Lord's opportunity 
to reveal to them the Mediator for sin. This He did in 
the introduction of the typical remedial system, having it 
all illustrated as a picture, or object-lesson, as shadowed 
forth in the sacrificial offerings and sanctuary service and 
Aaronic priesthood, all of which represented Christ and 
His work in the heavenly temple above. These thoughts are 
so clearly expressed by the author of the book "Patriarchs 
and Prophets" that we here take the liberty to quote: — 

"But if the Abrahamic covenant contained the promise 
of redemption, why was another covenant formed at Sinai ? 
In their bondage the people had to a great extent lost the 
knowledge of God and of the principles of the Abrahamic 
covenant. In delivering them from Egypt, God sought 
to reveal to them His power and His mercy, that they 
might be led to love and trust Him. He brought them 
down to the Red Sea, where, pursued by the Egyptians, 
escape seemed impossible, that they might realize their 
utter helplessness, their need of divine aid ; and then He 
wrought deliverance for them. Thus they were filled with 
love and gratitude to God, and with confidence in His 
power to help. He had bound them to Himself as their 
deliverer from temporal bondage. 

- "But there is a still greater truth to be impressed upon 
their minds. Living in the midst of idolatry and corrup- 
tion, they had no true conception of the holiness of God, 
of the exceeding sinfulness of their own hearts, their utter 
inability, in themselves, to render obedience to God's law, 
and their need of a Saviour. All this they must be taught. 



74 The Inspired History of tfie Nations. 

"God brought them to Sinai; He manifested His glory; 
He gave them His law, with the promise of great blessings 
on condition of obedience. 'If ye will obey My voice in- 
deed, and keep My covenant, then . . . ye shall be 
unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.' The 
people did not realize the sinfulness of their own hearts, 
and that without Christ it was impossible for them to keep 
God's law, and they readily entered into covenant with 
God. Feeling that they were able to establish their own 
righteousness, they declared, 'All that the Lord hath said 
will we do, and be obedient.' They had witnessed the 
proclamation of the law in awful majesty, and had trem- 
bled with terror before the mount ; and yet only a few weeks 
passed before they broke their covenant with God, and 
bowed down to worship a graven image. They could not 
hope for the favor of God through a covenant which they 
had broken ; and now, seeing their sinfulness and their need 
of pardon, they were brought to feel their need of the 
Saviour revealed in the Abrahamic covenant and shadowed 
forth in the sacrificial offerings. Now, by faith and love, 
they were bound to God as their deliverer from the bond- 
age of sin. Now they were prepared to appreciate the 
blessings of the new covenant." — Pages 371, 372. 

The condition of this people in the wilderness was far 
different from that of the self-righteous Scribes and Phari- 
sees in the days of Christ, they believing that all light and 
wisdom were hid with them. But Israel in the days of 
Moses, as learners, and loving the Lord, were desirous of 
doing His will, and were being taught lessons of trust and 
acceptance of Jesus Christ by faith, as revealed in the Abra- 
hamic covenant. The doing away with this covenant or 
system of education, in all its kindergarten illustrations, as 
pertaining to the ark, the sanctuary service, and its priest- 
hood, no more does away with the underlying principles 
it represented than does the breaking of a picture do away 
with the substance it represents. 



AbvaJiamic and Mosaic Covenants. 75 

The Abrahamic covenant was there, ready for all, as 
soon as they saw their need and accepted the Lord by faith. 
Many, no doubt, had enjoyed these blessings since the days 
of Abraham, and still were enjoying them, but the multi- 
tude were not. Circumcision was still retained for the 
same purpose for which it was given. This was the out- 
ward mark or token. The Sabbath was the spiritual sign 
of the covenant of grace. 

"Moreover also I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign 
between Me and them, that they might know that I am 
the Lord that sanctify them." "And hallow My Sabbaths; 
and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may 
know that I am the Lord your God. Notwithstanding, the 
children rebelled against Me; they walked not in My stat- 
utes, neither kept My judgments to do them/ which if a 
man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted My Sab- 
baths ; then I said, I would pour out My fury upon them, 
to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness." 
Eze. 20:12, 20, 21. 

Both are required to be observed by all. Circumcision 
was of the heart and the spirit, under the Abrahamic cove- 
nant, as well as outward in the flesh. All these entered into 
the spiritual rest of the Sabbath, as well as its outward 
observance. The Abrahamic covenant was ratified at the 
cross. Thus far it would seem to the reader that the Abra- 
hamic covenant was before the first, or the Mosaic, cov- 
enant. In the comparison which I have just made, it is. 
We must not therefore confound it with what is called the 
first or old covenant in the Bible. The covenant made with 
Abraham, or the everlasting covenant, first made with 
Adam, then with Abraham, is never spoken of as the first 
or old covenant. The expressions used by Paul, — the old 
and new covenants, — are used from different standpoints 
entirely. Let the reader first fix in his mind whom Paul 
is talking about. It is Israel, as they come out of Egypt. 



j6 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

The first or old covenant was made with them as a people. 
Now that ended or vanished away. He taketh away the 
first made with them, — the Mosaic, — that He may estab- 
lish the second, — another or subsequent covenant made 
with them. When the Mosaic covenant had filled its pur- 
pose as a teacher, with its sacrificial offerings, which pointed 
to Christ, it ended. But the Abrahamic covenant still re- 
mained, and was incorporated into and constituted the real 
body or essence of what is called the new covenant, and 
might therefore properly be considered as the new covenant, 
constituting, as it did, its very essence, and being with it 
and in it ratified by the blood of Christ, the blood of the 
new testament or covenant. Christ, under it, is our High 
Priest after the order of Melchisedec. Israel and Judah, 
with all mankind, are now to be connected by faith with 
the Abrahamic covenant. It was ruled by priest and king, 
and Christ is our Priest and King. We now pay our tithe 
to the support of the Melchisedec kingdom. 

"For the priesthood being changed, there is made of 
necessity a change also of the law. For He of whom these 
things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no 
man gave attendance at the altar. For it is evident that 
our Lord sprang out of Jucla ; of which tribe Moses spake 
nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more 
evident; for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there 
ariseth another priest, who is made, not after the law of 
a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless 
life. For He testifieth, Thou art a priest forever after the 
order of Melchisedec. For there is verily a disannulling 
of the commandment going before for the weakness and 
unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing per- 
fect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which 
we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without 
an oath He was made priest (for those priests were made 
without an oath ; but this with an oath by Him that said 



Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants. jy 

unto Him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art 
a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec) ; by so 
much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And 
they truly were many priests, because they were not suf- 
fered to continue by reason of death ; but this Man, because 
He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 
Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that 
come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make inter- 
cession for them. For such an high priest became us, who 
is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and 
made higher than the heavens; who needeth not daily, as 
those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own 
sins, and then for the people's ; for this He did once, when 
He offered up Himself. For the law maketh men high 
priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, 
which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is conse- 
crated forevermore." Heb. 7:12-28. 

The question may be further asked : If the Mosaic cov- 
enant was to act as a schoolmaster to bring Israel to Christ, 
and to show them the need of Christ, why is it not needed 
now ? Why would its observance now gender to bondage ? 
We will answer, It is plainly stated in Jeremiah 17 that, 
if they would obey God, Jerusalem would stand forever. 
It was disobedience on the part of Israel that broke up the 
theocracy and the relationship between God and Israel. 
The time of the crucifixion was never set till after the theoc- 
racy had been destroyed. Dan. 9 -.27. God saw this would 
be the time when Israel, as a nation, would have filled up 
the cup of their iniquity. There is not the least doubt but 
that, had Israel continued true to God, the Mosaic covenant, 
with its divine services, would have continued as a school- 
master till the close of probation, and the death of Christ, 
by His laying down His own life, would have happened at 
that age of the world's history. ''Therefore doth My 
Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might 



7 8 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down 
of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power 
to take it again. This commandment have I received of 
My Father." John 10:17, 18. But that nation being 
broken up, and Christ having come, the covenant had 
already been rendered null and void, and to return to its 
observance now would be a virtual denial of Christ, and 
hence would gender to bondage. 

Now, what relation do we sustain to the Mosaic cov- 
enant? We answer. The law, or legal part of its divine 
services governing the Levitical priesthood, pointing to the 
death of Christ, is abolished, but we still have the benefit 
of its typical lessons, as illustrating or instructing us in 
the grand truths of the gospel system of faith in Christ. 
But since then we do not need that schoolmaster. We now 
have the gospel preached to us no longer in type, or prom- 
ise, but in substance and reality. 

Now, in the study of the Mosaic covenant and its serv- 
ice, we learn how they were taught to exercise faith in the 
Melchisedec priesthood and the tabernacle service. The 
law and prophets were preached until John; since then the 
kingdom of heaven is preached. We still teach the lessons 
taught in the Mosaic covenant, and. in addition, the king- 
dom of heaven. We do not now teach that the Mosaic law 
should be practised in the offering of beasts, but only to 
show why it was observed. These things serve unto the 
example and shadow of heavenly things, and so we now 
teach it. The moral law, which was not abolished, teaches 
us the need of Christ to wash away our transgression, by 
showing us a knowledge of our sins and instructing us in 
the righteousness of Christ. 

So, taken as a whole, the Mosaic covenant was but an 
educational system; so says Paul. The Scriptures were 
written for our learning. "Now all these things happened 
unto them for ensamples ; and they are written for our 



Abraliamic and ^Mosaic Covenants. 79 

admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." 
1 Cor. 10:11. "All scripture is given by inspiration of 
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for cor- 
rection, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of 
God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good 
works." 2 Tim. 3:16, 17. "For whatsoever things were 
written aforetime were written for our learning; that we 
through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have 
hope." Rom. 1 5 4. 

There is a vast difference between the covenant which 
was abolished and the Old Testament Scriptures. The 
latter are not abolished, and we hope that no one will make 
the mistake of thinking they are. The everlasting covenant 
is called the covenant of peace. "Moreover I will make a 
covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting 
covenant with them; and I will place them, and multiply 
them, and will set My sanctuary in the midst of them for- 
evermore." Eze. 37 126. "And speak unto him, saying, 
Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the Man 
whose name is The BRANCH ; and He shall grow up out 
of His place,, and He shall build the temple of the Lord; 
even He shall build the temple of the Lord; and He shall 
bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne ; and 
He shall be a priest upon His throne; and the counsel of 
peace shall be between Them both." Zach. 6:12, 13. 
"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead 
our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through 
the blood of the everlasting covenant." Heb. 13:20. 

The other scriptures show clearly that the everlasting- 
covenant made with Abraham, with Melchisedec as high 
priest, is the same covenant, in principle and essence, that 
was made with Abraham by Jesus Christ, and is here called 
the new covenant. "And to Jesus the mediator of the new 
covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh 
better things than that of Abel." Heb. 12:24. This 



8o The Inspired History of tJie Nations. 

counsel between the Father and Son was held immediately 
after the fall. This covenant is ever called the everlasting" 
covenant, confirmed by an oath of God to Abraham, and 
was ratified by the blood of Christ. 

"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed 
it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, 
eat; this is My body. And He took the cup, and gave 
thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it ; for 
this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for 
many for the remission of sins." Matt. 26 '.26-28. 

Thus we see that the whole system of the Mosaic cov- 
enant was a system of education, to bring Israel to a knowl- 
edge of God and to the plan of salvation through Christ, 
as revealed in the Abrahamic or everlasting covenant. The 
ten commandments, as engraven in stone, showed them 
their need of divine power in order that they might be 
able to live out in their lives that which they could not 
do in their own strength. It revealed to them their im- 
perfect characters, and showed them that they were sin- 
ners before God. The sacrificial system, with its Aaronic 
priesthood, was a typical remedial system for sin. The 
real remedy for sin is found alone in the Melchisedec priest- 
hood. These divine services served as a schoolmaster, or 
teacher, to bring them to Christ. And, while these legal 
services of the Aaronic priesthood are abolished, we still 
have the lesson recorded in the written Word, to be used 
for our instruction and learning, thus leading our minds 
to the same high priest and the heavenly sanctuary above. 

This thought can not be too well understood, namely, 
that the Mosaic economy, as developed under the covenant 
made at Sinai, was a thorough educational system. It was 
not all a type or shadow, in the sense that the law govern- 
ing the priesthood, and especially the sacrificial offerings, 
were ; but the whole system, however, as a picture, repre- 
sents the true substance, representing the Melchisedec 



Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants. 81 

priesthood, the sanctuary, the antitypical judgment, the 
ark of God, as they all exist in heaven above. With this 
thought, we are prepared to study the question from a New 
Testament standpoint. 

"But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, 
by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, 
which was established upon better promises. For if that 
first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have 
been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, 
He saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I 
will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with 
the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I 
made with their fathers, in the day when I took them by 
the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because 
they continued not in My covenant, and I regarded them 
not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will 
make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the 
Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them 
in their hearts ; and I will be to them a God, and they shall 
be to Me a people ; and they shall not teach every man his 
neighbor, and every man his brother, saying. Know the 
Lord ; for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest. 
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their 
sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that 
He saith, A new covenant, He hath made the first old. 
Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish 
away." Heb. 8:6-13. 

The above is a comment of the apostle Paul on a 
prophecy uttered by Jeremiah six hundred years before 
Christ. Jeremiah lived at the time of the captivity, at 
which period of the world the time was set by the prophet 
Daniel when Jerusalem would be destroyed and the cruci- 
fixion would take place ; hence he contrasts the new covenant 
and the theocracy under which they then lived, and which 
established them as a nation. When the nation would 



82 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

break up, the only change would be that they would be 
subject to the Abrahamic covenant alone. First, he says 
the new covenant would be established upon better prom- 
ises. Second, it would be made with the same people. 
He then states in what particular the difference would be : 
"They shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every 
man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall 
know Me, from the least to the greatest." 

All that are in the new covenant shall know the Lord. 
That was true in Abraham's day, as before shown. The 
Abrahamic covenant was made with individuals, and a 
man must know the Lord before he could be in that cov- 
enant; but that was not true in the Mosaic covenant. By 
the system of teaching then introduced, they were led to 
know the Lord, for its purpose was to both govern them 
civilly and to teach them, through the typical remedial 
system, how to come to Christ. Hence the new covenant 
is upon better promises. First, in the old, the law of ten 
commandments was written upon stone. In the new, it is 
written in the heart. In the old, the priesthood was sub- 
ject to death ; in the new, He ever liveth to make interces- 
sion for us. In the old, the blood of bulls and goats could 
not take away sin ; in the new, the blood of Jesus, His Son, 
cleanseth from all sin. Under the old, there was no 
pardon from sin, only through the new. In the new alone 
is found pardon. In the old was the earthly tabernacle ; in 
the new is the heavenly sanctuary. In the old was the ark 
of the covenant ; in the new is the real ark. In the new 
is the true ark in the most holy place. Rev. 11:19. In 
the old, the day of atonement occurred once a year ; in the 
new, once in the end of the world for all. Thus the new 
was as much better as the substance than the picture which 
represents it. In the old, the man that cloeth them shall 
live in them. In the new, not the hearers of the law shall 
be just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justi- 



Abraliamic and Mosaic Covenants. 83 

fied. Under the old, the condemnation of the law is over 
the heads of the guilty. Under the new, pardon is granted. 
This contrast is taken up by the apostle Paul, as a contrast 
between the two ministrations or the services attending 
them — each one of these covenants as ministered by the 
ministry. The church at Corinth, which the apostle had 
raised up, had been greatly troubled by Judaizing teachers, 
who opposed the doctrine of the new covenant, and tried 
to persuade the Corinthian brethren to trust in the cere- 
monies of the Mosaic covenant as a means of salvation. 
It never had been a means of salvation, except as an edu- 
cator, but their minds had become so darkened as to the 
real object that they could see nothing but salvation in 
the mere ceremony, and hence it only became more of a 
bondage than liberty to them. They had been so influenced 
as to doubt Paul as to whether he was really a true minister 
or not. Paul thus introduces the question: — 

"Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need 
we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or 
letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle 
written in our hearts, known and read of all men; foras- 
much as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of 
Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the 
Spirit of the living God ; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy 
tables of the heart. And such trust have we through Christ 
to God-ward ; not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think 
anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 
who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament ; 
not of the letter, but of the spirit ; for the letter killeth, but 
the spirit giveth life." 2 Cor. 3:1-6. 

Paul at once appeals to the Corinthian brethren them- 
selves as the evidence of his true apostleship. Their own 
experience would tell them as to the work performed. 
They were living epistles, written not with ink, as Moses 
wrote the book of the covenant, but with the Spirit of the 



84 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of 
the heart. Under the old covenant the demonstration was 
outwardly written upon material which the people could 
see; but the ministration of the new covenant had written 
the divine principles not in letters, on material, but with 
the Spirit of God in the fleshy tables of the heart. This 
was a personal appeal from which there was no escape. 
The apostle made no claim as to his own sufficiency or 
power to do this work, but gave God the glory, who also 
hath made us able ministers of the new testament (cov- 
enant), not of the letter (of the old covenant), but of the 
spirit (of the new covenant) ; for the letter killeth, but the 
spirit giveth life. 

"But if the ministration of death, written and engraven 
in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could 
not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of 
his countenance ; which glory was to be done away ; how 
shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 
For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much 
more cloth the ministration of righteousness exceed in 
glory." 2 Cor. 3 :y-g. 

The apostle in the above verses continues the contrast 
between these two ministrations and the glory attending 
each service. The ministration of the old covenant, with 
just the simple letter, was death and condemnation to the 
hearer; for, as Paul says in Romans the third chapter, 
"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it 
saith to them who are under the law ; that every mouth 
may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before 
God." Rom. 3:19. Notwithstanding the fact that it con- 
demned all who heard its ministration on Mount Sinai, as 
all were guilty, yet Moses saw in it the justice and right- 
eousness of the law, until the righteousness of Christ was 
reflected, until the shekina rested upon his face. This 
manifestation the Jews had taken as an evidence that sal- 



Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants. 85 

yation was in the law. They did not see Christ, the author 
of the law. We will see presently that there is another 
glory witnessing to the other ministrations, that will even 
excel that which attended the ministration of God's cov- 
enant, which glory rested on the face of Moses. So Paul 
says : "If the ministration of condemnation be glory, much 
more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in 
glory. For even that which was made glorious had no 
glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 
For if that which is done away was glorious, much more 
that which remaineth is glorious." 2 Cor. 3:9-11. 

Some have supposed that that which was done away 
was the law which was written in stone, but that could not 
be the case, for the apostle says it was not written on stone 
in the new covenant; but it was in the tables of the heart, 
and written there by the Spirit of God. No, it was not 
the law, but it was the ministration of the old covenant, 
with the glory that attended that service; and it was only 
done away to be excelled by better ministration, and of a 
glory that would far exceed the ministration of the old 
covenant. Says the apostle, "Seeing then that we have 
such hope, we use great plainness of speech." 2 Cor. 3:12. 

It was the ministration that was abolished, and the Jews 
were blinded. "But their minds were blinded; for until 
this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the read- 
ing of the Old Testament; which veil is done away in 
Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the 
veil is upon their heart." Verses 14, 15. This blindness 
was not only upon the eyes of the Jews in the days of Moses. 
Paul says that even unto this day their eyes are blinded ; 
and we might safely add that, even unto this our day, not 
only the Jews, but the Gentiles, are blinded unto this our 
day, in the reading of the Old Testament. They do not 
see that the old covenant was an educational system, to 
lead them to Christ and the writing of the law, which was 



86 The Inspired History of the .Nations. 

upon tables of stone, to be written now in the fleshy tables 
of the heart by the Spirit of God. 

He proceeds to give the remedy: "Nevertheless, when 
it. shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. 
Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the 
Lord is, there is liberty." 2 Cor. 3:16, 17. Paul says 
when it shall turn to the Lord (that is, the heart, mentioned 
in verse fifteen), then the veil shall be taken away. It is 
only those that hunger and thirst after righteousness that 
shall be filled. The natural heart does not desire the truth. 
That individual will remain in darkness. But if the Spirit 
of the Lord writes the law in the heart, the condemnation 
of death is removed, and there is liberty. 

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the 
glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from 
glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." Verse 
18. Paul says, But we (those who accept Christ) with 
open face (the heart turns to the Lord) see the object and 
the lesson taught by the glory attending the ministration of 
the old covenant. We are changed into the same image 
from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 
Thus we have the contrast in clear, unmistakable words, 
as written by the inspired penman, representing the minis- 
tration and glory attending the two covenants. The latter 
glory was especially manifested on the day of Pentecost, 
in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, where three thousand 
souls were converted and brought to a saving knowledge 
of the truth, under the ministration of the Abrahamic 
covenant. We have the writings of another that so clearly 
teach the lesson taught by the apostle in this chapter that 
we take the liberty to quote: — 

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST IN THE LAW. 

"The greatest difficulty Paul had to meet arose from 
the influence of Judaizing teachers. These made him 



Abraiiamic and Mosaic Covenants. 8? 

much trouble, by causing dissension in tlie church at Cor- 
inth. They zvere continually presenting the virtues of the 
ceremonies of the law, exalting these ceremonies above the 
gospel of Christ, and condemning: Paul because he did not 
urge them upon the new converts. 

"Paul met them on their own ground. 'If the minis-- 
tration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glori- 
ous/ he said, 'so that the children of Israel could not 
steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his 
countenance; which glory was to be done away; how shall 
not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious ? For 
if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more 
doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory/ 

"The law of God, spoken in awful grandeur from Sinai, 
is the utterance of condemnation to the sinner. It is the 
province of the lazv to condemn, but there is in it no power 
to pardon or to redeem. It is ordained to life; those who 
walk in harmony with its precepts will receive the reward 
of obedience. But it brings bondage and death to those 
who remain under its condemnation. 

"So sacred and so glorious is the law that, when Moses 
returned from the holy mount, where he had been with 
God, receiving from His hand the tables of stone, his face 
reflected a glory upon which the people could not look with- 
out pain, and Moses was obliged to cover his face with a 
veil. 

"The glory that shone on the face of Moses was a re- 
flection of the righteousness of Christ in the law. The law 
itself would have no glory, only that in it Christ is em- 
bodied. It has no power to save. It is lusterless only as 
in it Christ is represented as full of righteousness and truth. 

"The types and shadows of the sacrificial service, with 
the prophecies, gave the Israelites a veiled, indistinct view 
of the mercy and grace to be brought to the world by the 
revelation of Christ. To Moses was unfolded the signifi- 



88 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

cance of the types and shadows pointing to Christ. He 
saw to the end of that which was to be done away when,. 
at the death of Christ, type met antitype. He saw that 
only through Christ can man keep the moral law. By 
transgression of this law, man brought sin into the world, 
and with sin came death. Christ became the propitiation 
for man's sin. He proffered His perfection of character 
in the place of man's sinfulness. He took upon Himself 
the curse of disobedience. The sacrifices and offerings 
pointed forward to the sacrifice He was to make. The 
slain lamb typified the Lamb that was to take away the 
sin of the world. 

"It was seeing the object of that which was to be done 
away, seeing Christ as revealed in the law, that illumined 
the face of Moses. The ministration of the laze, written 
and engraved in stone, was a ministration of death. With- 
out Christ, the transgressor was left under its curse, with 
no hope of pardon. The ministration had of itself no 
glory, but the promised Saviour, revealed in the types and 
shadozes of the ceremonial laze, made the moral laze 
glorious. 

THE JEWISH ECONOMY REVEALED CHRIST. 

"Paul desires his brethren to see that the great glory 
of a sin-pardoning Saviour gave significance to the entire 
Jewish economy. He desired them to see also that, when 
Christ came to the world, and died as man's sacrifice, type 
met antitype. 

"After Christ died on the cross as a sin-offering, the 
ceremonial laze could have no force. Yet it zeas connected 
zeith the moral laze, and zeas glorious. The whole bore 
the stamp of divinity, and expressed the holiness, justice, 
and righteousness of God. And if the ministration of the 
dispensation to be done away was glorious, how much more 
must the reality be glorious, when Christ was revealed, 
giving His life-giving, sanctifying Spirit to all who believe? 



Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants. 89 

"Paul declared : 'Seeing then that we have such hope, 
we use great plainness of speech ; and not as Moses, which 
put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could 
not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished; 
but their minds were blinded; for until this day remaineth 
the same veil untaken away in the reading of the Old 
Testament ; which veil is done away in Christ. But even 
unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their 
heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the 
veil shall be taken away.' 

"The Jews refused to accept Christ as the Messiah, and 
they can not see that their ceremonies are meaningless, that 
the sacrifices and offerings have lost their significance. 
The veil drawn by themselves in stubborn unbelief is still 
before their minds. It would be removed if they would 
accept Christ, the righteousness of the law. 

"Many in the Christian world also have a veil before 
their eyes and heart. They do not see to the end of that 
which was done away. They do not see that it was only 
the ceremonial law which was abrogated at the death of 
Christ. They claim that the moral law was nailed to the 
cross. Heavy is the veil that darkens their understanding. 
The hearts of many are at war with God. They are "not 
subject to His law\ Only as they shall come into harmony 
with the rule of His government can Christ be of any avail 
to them. They may talk of Christ as their Saviour ; but 
He will finally say to them, I know you not. You have 
not exercised genuine repentance toward God for the trans- 
gression of His holy law, and you can not have genuine 
faith in Me, for it was My mission to exalt God's law. 

THE MORAL LAW A TRANSCRIPT OF CHRIST'S CHARACTER. 

"The moral law was never a type or a shadow. It 
existed before man's creation, and will endure as long as 
God's throne remains. God could not change nor alter 



90 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

one precept of His law in order to save man; for the law 
is the foundation of His government. It is unchangeable, 
unalterable, infinite, and eternal. In order for man to be 
saved, and for the honor of the law to be maintained, it 
was necessary for the Son of God to offer Himself as a 
sacrifice for sin. He who knew no sin became sin for us. 
He died for us on Calvary. His death shows the wonder- 
ful love of God for man, and the immutability of His law. 

"The law and the gospel are in perfect harmony. Each 
upholds the other. In all its majesty the law confronts 
the conscience, causing the sinner to feel His need of Christ 
as the propitiation for sin. The gospel recognizes the 
power and immutability of the law. T had not known sin, 
but by the law,' Paul declares. The sense of sin, urged 
home by the law, drives the sinner to the Saviour. In his 
need, man may present the mighty arguments furnished 
by the cross of Calvary. He may claim the righteousness 
of Christ; for it is imparted to every repentant sinner. 
God declares, 'Him that cometh to Me I will in nowise 
cast out.' Tf we confess our sins, He is faithful and just 
to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unright- 
eousness.' " 

There is still another epistle that Paul wrote, namely, 
the epistle to the Galatians. This is written under similar 
circumstances to the one written to the Corinthians. The 
judaizing teachers followed the apostle to all these Gentile 
churches, and, with a zeal that would have been com- 
mendable in a better work, they endeavored to overthrow 
the gospel in every place it had been planted. These 
teachers came and taught the Galatian church that they 
could not be justified through Christ, but that they were 
justified by the works of the law, and, except they were 
circumcised and kept the law of Moses, they could not be 
saved. Paul replied in the following language, "I marvel 
that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into 



Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants. 91 

the grace of Christ unto another gospel; which is not an- 
other ; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert 
the gospel of Christ." Gal. 1 :6, 7. 

Paul introduces the question of justification by faith 
in the following manner, ' 'Knowing that a man is not justi- 
fied by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, 
even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be 
justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the 
law ; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." 
Gal. 2:16. 

A violated law never justifies any one. Its province is 
only to condemn and to show man his need of justification. 
So Paul continues : "O foolish Galatians, who hath be- 
witched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose 
eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified 
among you? This only would 1 learn of you, Received 
ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing 
of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, 
are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered 
so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. He therefore 
that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles 
among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the 
hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and 
it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye 
therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the 
children of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that 
God would justify the heathen through faith, preached 
before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all 
nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are 
blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of 
the works of the law are under the curse ; for it is written, 
Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which 
are written in the book of the law to do them. But that 
no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is 
evident; for, The just shall live by faith. And the law 



92 The Inspired History of the X at ions. 

is not of faith; but. The man that doeth them snail live 
in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the 
law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed 
is ever)- one that hangeth on a tree; that the blessing of 
Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ ; 
that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through 
faith." Gal. 3:1-14. 

Jesus, as a sin-pardoning and a sin-offering Saviour, 
had been clearly set before this church by the apostle. The 
plan of salvation had all been explained; but they had 
become bewitched, and Satan had blinded their eyes, and, 
like many to-day. they could not discern the province that 
the righteous law held as regarding its violators. Who 
could ever think for a moment, unless he was bewitched, 
that a just law could justify a transgressor? We repeat. 
It is the province of law to condemn and bring men under 
its condemnation. It is the province of Jesus Christ to die, 
and pay the penalty, and to offer pardon to all trans- 
gressors, so they can be justified through Jesus Christ. 
"The just shall live by faith." They had begun right, by 
the Spirit of God writing the law in their hearts. He asks 
them some hard questions, whether they received the Spirit 
by the works of the law or the hearing of faith. 

Paul next calls their attention to God's dealings with 
Abraham, and to the principles of the Abrahamic covenant. 
"So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful 
Abraham ;" and in him, says the apostle, all the nations of 
the earth shall be blessed ; "for as many as are of the works 
of the law are under the curse :" and "that no man is justi- 
fied by the law ... is evident ; for. The just shall live 
by faith. And the law is not of faith." "Christ hath 
redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse 
for us," "that the blessing of Abraham might come on the 
Gentiles," "that we might receive the promise, of the Spirit 
through faith." 



Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants. 93 

After making this argument, the apostle continues, by 
showing them that the Mosaic covenant was simply given, 
in addition to the Abrahamic covenant, as a schoolmaster 
to bring them to Christ. The law referred to in the fol- 
lowing scriptures w r as the law system drawn out in char- 
acters, forming in one whole the Jewish economy, con- 
stituting the covenant made at Sinai, and carried out in its 
illustrative services; the whole was a schoolmaster to bring 
them to Christ ; but when faith is come, they are no longer 
under the schoolmaster. This, we will show, is fully 
brought out, and is the sense of the following scripture : — 

"Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though 
it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man 
disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and 
his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to 
seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy Seed, which 
is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was con- 
firmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four 
hundred and thirty years after, can not disannul, that it 
should make the promise of none effect. For if the in- 
heritance be of the law, it is no more of promise; but God 
gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth 
the law ? It was added because of transgressions, till the 
Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it 
was ordained by angels in the hand of a Mediator. Now 
a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the 
law then against the promises of God? God forbid; for 
if there had been a law given which could have given life, 
verily righteousness should have been by the law. But 
the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise 
by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 
But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut 
up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto 
Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that 



94 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For 
ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have 
put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is 
neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female ; for 
ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then 
are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." 
Gal. 3:15-29. 

This language needs but little comment. As elsewhere 
shown, the Mosaic covenant was given in addition, not 
added, to the Abrahamic, but added as a means of enabling 
them to come and enjoy the principles of the Abrahamic 
covenant. This system of education the apostle continues 
to show, by stating how long it should continue, in the fol- 
lowing chapter. "Now I say, That the heir, as long as he 
is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be 
lord of all ; but is under tutors and governors until the time 
appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were chil- 
dren, were in bondage under the elements of the world; 
but when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth 
His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem 
them that were under the law, that we might receive the 
adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent 
forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, 
Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son ; 
and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." Gal. 
4:1-7. 

The time appointed in verse 2 is the time of the cru- 
cifixion. This was appointed by Daniel in connection with 
the long prophetic period of two thousand three hundred 
days ; hence they were servants of that system, till the time 
appointed. But when the fulness of the time was come, 
Christ came and redeemed them from it. Hence they are 
no more servants, but sons, and heirs of God through 
faith. 



AbraJiamic and Mosaic Covenants. 95 

The apostle in this chapter draws another illustration 
to represent these two covenants, that of the son of a bond- 
maid, which was Hagar, the other the son of a free woman, 
which was Sarah. The latter was Abraham's wife, and 
the former her handmaid. Hagar' s son was born after 
the flesh; Sarah's son, Isaac, was a child of Providence 
and promise. These two women are taken as a figure, rep- 
resenting the two covenants — Hagar to represent Sinai, 
Sarah to represent Jerusalem which is above, which is the 
mother of us all. The covenant at Sinai gendereth to 
bondage. The ministration of condemnation brought 
under bondage those that heard it. The ministration of 
the new covenant gives life to those that accept it; hence 
one is free; the other is bond. And especially did the 
Sinaitic covenant gender to bondage in Paul's day, for they 
trusted in its ceremonies and justification by the works of 
the law, and, failing to see Christ as the object of it all, 
it, in the fullest sense of the word, gendered to bondage. 
Thus we see in every New Testament comment upon this 
question the same principle is brought out. 

But the opposers of God's law will say, "Were not the 
tables of the covenant a part and parcel of the Mosaic 
covenant?" We answer, In the sense which the apostle 
speaks of them in Hebrews the ninth chapter, they were, 
but not in the sense that the law that they represent was 
done away. "Then verily the first covenant had also ordi- 
nances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For 
there was a tabernacle made ; the first, wherein was the 
candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is 
called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the taber- 
nacle which is called the holiest of all; which had the 
golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round 
about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had 
manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the 
covenant." Heb. 9:1-4. 



96 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

That the ordinances of the Mosaic covenant were divine, 
there was no question. Every feature of that covenant had 
the stamp of divinity, for every feature represented the real 
substance of that which is divine. Yet, says the apostle, in 
the eighth chapter of Hebrews, if that covenant had been 
faultless, then should no place have been sought for the 
second. It represented the perfect, but it was not "the 
essence of the things itself." The sanctuary was not the 
true sanctuary, but simply a pattern, The priesthood, says 
the apostle, "served unto the example and shadow of 
heavenly things." The ark was a representative of the 
ark in heaven; the tables of the covenant were simply a 
copy, and represented that which must be in the heart and 
become a part of the being of one's self and a representative 
of the law in the heavenly temple. The loss of the ark and 
the tables six hundred years before Christ came was no 
greater loss than if a person should lose a special copy of 
the Scriptures, which are given to teach us the way to God. 
No one believes that the tables of stone or the character 
of the letters written on it will save any one, unless the 
thing expressed on those stones becomes part and parcel 
of one's self, and that can only be by the writing of those 
divine principles, by the Spirit o-f God, on the heart of the 
individual. The sacrificial law, pointing forward to Christ, 
met its antitype at the cross in the body of Christ. But the 
moral law, as it was engraven on stone, can never meet 
its object or design until it is written in the heart of the 
believer, and points him to the rule of God's government 
as deposited in the heavenly temple above. 

We would call attention to a thought regarding the 
manner in which the Mosaic covenant passed away. Says 
the apostle Paul, "Now that which decayeth and waxeth 
old is ready to vanish away." The expression conveys the 
thought of a period of time, not instantaneous action. He 
gives us the reason why this is so in the eighth chapter of 
Hebrews, "For finding fault with them." 



Abraliamic and Mosaic Covenants. 97 

Through the many rebellions and transgressions, Israel 
was finally taken captive to Babylon, six hundred years 
before Christ. The fault was with Israel. Their rebel- 
lions caused the breaking up of the Jewish economy. 
When they went into captivity, the civil law of the theoc- 
racy ended; they became subjects to earthly governments, 
and were governed by the laws of the same. The ark also 
disappeared. The spirit of prophecy largely departed from 
the church. Decay set in, as expressed by the apostle. As 
time rolled on, it waxed old. The sacrificial law met its 
antitype in the crucifixion of Christ. The sanctuary service 
ceased. The Jews rejected the gospel. The apostles 
turned to the Gentiles. Says Paul, "It vanished away." 
Thus ended the educational system; but, as before stated,' 
we have it now in the written Word, and the lessons are 
as profitable to us as they ever were in the days of Israel. 
Paul's argument to the Jewish people in the book of 
Hebrews is largely based on the sanctuary service and the 
change of priesthoods. In the book of Galatians he met 
the argument that they must be circumcised and keep the 
law of Moses. It seems that the church of Galatia had 
imbibed the doctrine, through the Judaizing teachers, that 
the whole law system was to be observed in its ceremonies ; 
but when we come to the book of Romans, there the ques- 
tion is discussed whether a man can be justified by the ten 
commandments, or whether he must be justified through 
Christ. This is clearly shown by various expressions in 
the book, as the apostle quotes certain precepts of the ten 
commandment law to show what law he is speaking of. 
This is brought out especially in the second and seventh 
chapters. Paul speaks to the Jews thus : — 

"(For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do 
by nature the things contained in the law, these, having 
not the law, are a law unto themselves. Which show the 
work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience 



98 The inspired History of the Nations. 

also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile 
accusing or else excusing one another) ; in the day when 
God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ accord- 
ing to my gospel. Behold, thou art called a Jew, and 
restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, and know- 
est His will, and approvest the things which are more 
excellent, being instructed out of the law ; and art confi- 
dent that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of 
them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, 
a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and 
of the truth in the law. Thou therefore which teachest 
another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a 
man should not steal, dost thou steal? thou that sayest a 
man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adult- 
ery ? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege ?" 
Rom. 2 114-22. 

The apostle in this argument shows that a Gentile who 
has the law in his heart, and keeps it, is more acceptable 
with God than the Jew who has it in outward form (even 
on tables of stone), and does not keep it, though he may 
know the will of God as revealed in the law, and may boast 
of his great blessings. He then quotes the seventh and 
the eighth commandments of the decalogue, to show to 
what law he refers. The Jews were great sticklers for the 
outward form, but obedience to its precepts was not mani- 
fested. He continues his argument thus : — 

"For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gen- 
tiles through you, as it is written. For circumcision verily 
profiteth, if thou keep the law; but if thou be a breaker of 
the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. There- 
fore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the 
law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circum- 
cision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, 
if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and cir- 
cumcision dost transgress the law? For he is not a Jew, 



Abraliamic and Mosaic Covenants. 99 

which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which 
is outward in the flesh ; but he is a Jew, which is one 
inwardly ; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit 
and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of 
God." Rom. 2 124-29. 

By this we see that a man that is justified by faith, 
whether he be Jew or Gentile, circumcised or uncircum- 
cised, is a keeper of the divine precepts of the decalogue. 
In the apostle's closing argument in the third chapter of 
Romans we read, "Do we then make void the law through 
faith? God forbid ; yea, we establish the law." Verse 31. 

The apostle is now prepared to refer to the Abraliamic 
covenant. "What shall we say then that Abraham, our 
father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if 
Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory ; 
but not before God. For what saith the Scripture? 
Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for 
righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward 
not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that work- 
eth not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, 
his faith is counted for righteousness." "And he received 
the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the 
faith which he had yet being uncircumcised ; that he might 
be the father of all them that believe, though they be not 
circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto 
them also." Rom. 4:1-5, n. 

This sets the whole matter of the covenants clearly be- 
fore us, and we feel that he who studies these scriptures, as 
given, bearing upon this question, will have no difficulty in 
discerning the relation that each covenant sustained to the 
other. There are many more texts that might be used, but 
we believe sufficient has been presented to make the ques- 
tion plain to the mind of the student. 

L.ofC. 




CHAPTER IV. 



THE THEOCRACY OF ISRAEL. 

The practical definition of a theocracy is a government 
ruled by God. There is a period of about nine hundred 
years, beginning with Moses, and ending with the Babylon- 
ish captivity, six hundred years before Christ, in which 
such a government existed. During this time God was the 
direct ruler of His people, both in civil and religious affairs. 

The establishment of such a government was contem- 
plated in the call of Abraham, and was also foreshadowed 
in the following promise : "And He said unto Abram, 
Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land 
that is not theirs, and shall serve them ; and they shall afflict 
them four hundred years ; and also that nation, whom they 
shall serve, will I judge; and afterward shall they come out 
with great substance." Gen. 15:13, 14. 

Moses was called of God to fulfil this promise, by deliv- 
ering Israel from Egyptian bondage, preparatory to estab- 
lishing them as a nation unto themselves, separate from all 
other people; and God was to be their direct ruler. Forty 
years before the appointed time of their deliverance, Moses, 
understanding that God had chosen him for that purpose, 
and believing that the time had already come, in his own 
strength undertook to bring it to pass. But, after slaying 
an Egyptian for oppressing a Hebrew, he was compelled 



5 

Co 

to 




The Theocracy of Israel. 1 03 

to flee for his life, and as a result went into seclusion in 
the wilderness, and there served forty years as a shepherd. 
Moses had not yet comprehended the magnitude and 
greatness of the work. He undertook it in his own 
strength, relying upon the power of man. The effort was a 
failure. He must be taught a lesson of dependence upon 
God, and this was accomplished during his forty years of 
nomadic life. At the end of this time, the Lord appeared 
to Moses, as he was watching his father-in-law's sheep. 
"Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the 
priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the back side of 
the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. 
And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame 
of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and, 
behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not 
consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and 
see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when 
the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto 
him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. 
And he said, Here am I. And He said, Draw not nigh 
hither; put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place 
whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover He said, 
I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God 
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; 
for he was afraid to look upon God. And the Lord said, 
I have surely seen the affliction of My people which are in 
Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their task- 
masters ; for I know their sorrows ; and I am come down 
to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to 
bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a 
large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the 
place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, 
and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 
Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is 
come unto Me ; and I have also seen the oppression where- 



104 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

with the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, 
and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring 
forth My people the children of Israel out of Egypt'' 

Let the reader mark the change that has come over 
Moses during his forty years' sojourn in the wilderness. 
"And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go 
unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children 
of Israel out of Egypt? And He said, Certainly I will be 
with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have 
sent thee : When thou hast brought forth the people out 
of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. And 
Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the chil- 
dren of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your 
fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, 
What is His name? what shall I say unto them? And 
God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM ; and He said. 
Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath 
sent me unto you." Ex. 3:11-14. 

In the remaining portion of this and the first part of the 
next chapter, the Lord gives him yet additional evidences, 
with instructions as to how he must approach the children 
of Israel. Exodus 4 opens thus : "And Moses answered 
and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor harken 
unto my voice; for they will say, The Lord hath not ap- 
peared unto thee. And the Lord said unto him, What is 
that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And He said, 
Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and 
it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And 
the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take 
it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, 
and it became a rod in his hand ; that they may believe that 
the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the 
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto 
thee. And the Lord said furthermore unto him. Put now 
thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his 



MOSES ASKED TO LEAVE EGYPT. 



The Theocracy of Israel. 10/ 

bosom; and when he took it out, behold, his hand was 
leprous as snow. And He said, Put thine hand into thy 
bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; 
and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned 
again as his other flesh." "And Moses said unto the Lord, 

my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor 
since Thou hast spoken unto Thy servant ; but I am slow 
of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the Lord said unto 
him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the 
dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the 
Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, 
and teach thee what thou shalt say. And he said, O my 
Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom Thou 
wilt send. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against 
Moses, and He said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? 

1 know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he com- 
eth forth to meet thee ; and when he seeth thee, he will be 
glad in his heart." "And Moses went and returned to 
Jethro his father-in-law, and said unto him, Let me go, 
I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in 
Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro 
said to Moses, Go in peace." Ex. 4:1-7, 10-14, : 8. 

Thus we have a history of Moses' preparation by the 
Lord to be the first ruler in the theocracy of Israel. Moses 
now undertakes the task, not in his own strength, as he did 
forty years prior to this time, but depending solely upon 
God and His power to deliver his brethren and to establish 
His government. 

Moses approached Pharaoh as the Lord had directed, 
showing him by miracles wrought that there was a God 
of power in the movement. "And Pharaoh said, Who 
is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel 
go?" The evidences were accumulated, and the plagues 
increased in severity, until Pharaoh was glad to let them 
go. Several hundred thousand souls followed Moses as 



io8 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

their leader, and left Egypt. God does work system- 
atically, and never fails regarding the time in which the 
events are to take place, as we will see. "And it came 
to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, 
even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of 
the Lord went out from the land of Egypt." Ex. 12:41. 
God had now set His hand to the work. He worketh not 
as man works. He made manifest His miraculous power, 
and taught Pharaoh what he might expect if he still refused 
to let Israel go. God is now the ruler of Israel. Moses 
and Aaron, and Miriam their sister, are God's mouthpieces. 
The march is begun. The Red Sea is crossed, and Pha- 
raoh's hosts are drowned. The story of Israel's deliver- 
ance and the destruction of Pharaoh's army had gone to 
the nations of the world, and as other nations came in con- 
tact with the Israelites, they realized that there was a power 
attending this people, and a God leading them that was 
different from the gods of other nations. The eyes of the 
world were at that time turned toward them. The Lord 
now leads the host of Israel to the base of Mount Sinai, 
and, after instructing the camp to wash their clothes, pre- 
paratory to meeting the events before them, the Lord calls 
Moses up into the mount. This vast multitude must now 
be instructed in the principles of both moral and civil gov- 
ernment. Their minds must be directed to the true God 
and to the remedy provided by Him for sin. Laws must 
be given and taught the people. This would naturally 
necessitate different classifications of laws, which would 
be varied according to circumstances. 

The Lord first declares in His own voice, and writes 
with His own finger on tables of stone, the ten command- 
ments. The apostle James calls this the royal law (James 
2:8), which signifies the kingly, the superior, or higher 
law of the universe. This law was placed in the ark, which 
was made especially as a receptacle for it, and is variously 



The Theocracy of IsraeL 109 

called His name, God's covenant, the constitution of His 
government, etc., being the basis of all laws which might 
grow out of the principles therein contained. There was 
another law given at the same time, but not in the same 
manner, — a law governing the spiritual services of the 
people ; it pertained to the remedial system provided in case 
of the transgression of the royal law. This law was writ- 
ten by Moses, as recorded in Ex. 24 14-8, and in Leviticus, 
and was called "the law of Moses." This remedial law 
was to govern the services of the sanctuary and the sac- 
rificial offerings, which pointed forward to Christ. It con- 
tinued in force only till Christ came. It was then taken 
out of the way and nailed to the cross, as is shown in the 
New Testament. The royal law of ten commandments 
still continues in force. There were also given to Israel 
sanitary laws, governing their mode of living, and setting 
forth health principles. See Leviticus 1 1 and Deuteronomy 
14. These regulated the diet pertaining to clean and un- 
clean beasts, and are the best laws on that question to-day ; 
and those who obey them can testify to their value. God 
lesired His people to enjoy good health. The next division 
of laws, under the theocracy, was that of the civil laws 
governing the actions of men in their relations one to 
another. These laws were for the regulation and punish- 
ment of evil-doers in this life, and did not so much concern 
their duty to God as to each other. In this mixed multi- 
tude were people who feared neither God nor man, and 
therefore laws must be given, with penalties attached, by 
which to govern such. Hence this code of civil laws. The 
Lord also provided cities of refuge for violators of the 
civil law, whither they could flee or be taken for protection 
until they might have a trial, when, if, for instance, they 
were found guilty of murder, the penalty was stoning to 
death. The same was true of adultery, theft, Sabbath- 
breaking, etc. The principle involved in this code was 



no The Inspired History of the Nations. 

"an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." The theoc- 
racy of Israel, with God as a direct ruler, continued nine 
hundred years, Zedekiah being the last king, nearly six 
hundred years before Christ. There the civil law, with 
its penalties, ended; for Israel was taken captive by Bab- 
ylon, the theocracy was broken up, and the people became 
subjects of other governments. From that day to this they 
have been subjected to the civil laws and penalties of the 
governments under which they have resided. 

There was still another law laid down to Israel that 
would always be manifested with them throughout their 
history, to wit, the law of blessings and cursings. This 
law was also on stone, as we read in Deut. 27:1-14: "And 
Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, 
saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you 
this day. And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass 
over Jordan unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth 
thee, that thou shalt set up great stones, and plaster them 
with plaster; and thou shalt write upon them all the words 
of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest 
go in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, 
a land that floweth with milk and honey ; as the Lord God 
of thy fathers hath promised thee. Therefore it shall be 
when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these 
stones, which I command you this day, in Mount Ebal, and 
thou shalt plaster them with plaster. . . . And thou 
shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very 
plainly. And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto 
all Israel, saying, Take heed, and harken, O Israel; this 
day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God. Thou 
shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and 
do His commandments and His statutes, which I command 
thee this day. And Moses charged the people the same 
day, saying, These shall stand upon Mount Gerizim to bless 
the people, when ye are come over Jordan; . . . and 



The Theocracy of Israel. 1 1 1 

these shall stand upon Mount Ebal to curse. . . . And 
the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel 
with a loud voice, Cursed be the man that maketh any 
graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord." 
Then various curses are pronounced in case of violation of 
any one of the principles laid down in this law. 

He then continues, in the twenty-eighth chapter, as fol- 
lows : "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt harken dili- 
gently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and 
to do all His commandments which I command thee this 
day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all 
nations of the earth ; and all these blessings shall come on 
thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt harken unto the voice 
of the Lord thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, 
and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be 
the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and 
the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the 
flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and 
thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, 
and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. The 
Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against 
thee to be smitten before thy face; they shall come out 
against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways." 
"The Lord shall establish thee a holy people unto Him- 
self, as He hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the 
commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in His 
ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou 
art called by the name of the Lord ; and they shall be afraid 
of thee. And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, 
in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and 
in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord 
sware unto thy fathers to give thee." "And the Lord shall 
make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be 
above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou 
harken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, 



112 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them." 
"But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not harken unto 
the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all His 
commandments and His statutes which I command thee 
this day; that" "the Lord shall send upon thee cursing, 
vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand 
unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou 
perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings 
whereby thou hast forsaken Me. The Lord shall make 
the pestilence cleave unto thee, until He have consumed 
thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. 
The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption, and 
with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an 
extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blast- 
ing, and with mildew ; and they shall pursue thee until 
thou perish. And thy heaven that is over thy head shall 
be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. 
The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust ; 
from heaven it shall come down upon thee, until thou be 
destroyed. The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before 
thine enemies ; thou shalt go out one way against them, and 
flee seven ways before them ; and shalt be removed into all 
the kingdoms of the earth." This was fulfilled at the time 
of the Babylonish captivity. "And thy carcass shall be 
meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the 
earth, and no man shall fray them away." This will be 
fulfilled at the great supper mentioned in Revelation 19. 
"The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and 
with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, 
whereof thou canst not be healed." This will be fulfilled, 
with the predictions of Revelation 16, during the seven last 
plagues. "The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and 
blindness, and astonishment of heart ; and thou shalt grope 
at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt 
not prosper in thy ways; and thou shalt be oppressed and 



The Theocracy of Israel. 1 1 3 

spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee." This will 
be fulfilled in the great battle of Armageddon. Compare 
Rev. 16:14-16 with Zech. 12:4. 

We continue, in Deut. 28 149 : "The Lord shall bring 
a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, 
as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou 
shalt not understand; a nation of fierce countenance, 
which shall not regard the person of the old, nor show 
favor to the young." This also applies to the time of 
trouble. The same power is mentioned in Jeremiah 5. 
"And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, 
and upon thy seed forever." Deut. 28 146. "And it came 
to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words 
of this law in a book, until they were finished, that Moses 
commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant 
of the Lord, saying, Take this book of the law, and put 
it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your 
God, that it may be there for a witness against thee." 
Deut. 31 124-26. 

Thus the blessings and curses are recorded, and their 
fulfilment will attend Israel throughout the world's history. 
This law was put in the side of the ark for a witness, as 
we have just seen from the last text quoted. This law was 
also written upon stone, but written by man. However, 
its continuance is parallel in this life with the ten com- 
mandments engraven upon the tables of stone. Such is 
the establishment of the theocracy of Israel. God, through 
His prophets, was their direct ruler. They were taken out 
of Egypt. This means not only out of literal Egypt, but 
out of spiritual bondage as well. They were to be in- 
structed in the principles of right government, and to be 
given a knowledge of redemption through Christ, and of 
the true God. 




CHAPTER V 



PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT. 



We will now notice briefly God's dealing with, and the 
manifestation of His power in, the government of this 
mighty nation for the nine hundred years He ruled, espe- 
cially in regard to the principles laid down in the law of 
blessings and cursings, noticed in the preceding chapter. 
The principles here involved will be a marked feature in 
the closing events of the world's history. In order to 
understand these events, which are to come to pass near 
the close of time, the history of Israel must be carefully 
studied. Paul says that these thing's were written for our 
admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come, 
and that they were ensamples unto us. There are two 
marked features in the government of Israel to which we 
would call special attention. These, in addition to the law 
of blessings and cursings, will also be marked features in 
the closing work of God on earth. One is the ark of God, 
in which was the law of the ten commandments ; the other, 
the prophetic office. The prophet was the highest officer in 
authority in the theocratic form of government. In fact, 
the theocracy upon earth could not exist without the 
prophet, for the prophet was the mouthpiece of God. In 
114 




THE PROPHET WAS THE ONE LOOKED TO AS AUTHORITY. 



Principles of Government. 1 1 / 

all cases of war, or whenever other important instruction 
was to be given, the prophet was the one looked to as 
authority. We find, by reading the history of the kings, 
that even they were entirely subject to the prophet. Paral- 
lel in importance with this was the ark, being another essen- 
tial feature, for in it was the royal law, which was to govern 
Israel. A cloud covered it by clay, and a pillar of fire by 
night. The moving of the cloud or fire was an indication 
that the camp was to move. These two features will ever 
be in the midst of true Israel when they so relate them- 
selves to God that Pie can be their ruler and guide. The 
last two features, those of the prophet and of the law in 
the ark, are pointed out in Rev. 12:17 as the commandments 
of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. "The testimony 
of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Rev. 19:10. These 
two combined constituted the ensign of Israel, and will ever 
be manifested as the standard whereby God especially leads 
and identifies His people. 

The true relation of a civil and moral government, as 
compared with a civil government only, should be well 
fixed in the mind of the student of God's Word. The lat- 
ter legislates on the duty of man to his fellow-man alone; 
the other governs man in both his duty to man and to his 
Maker. A civil government is ruled by erring man; the 
theocracy was governed by an infallible God. The latter 
governs the thoughts of the heart, as well as the act; the 
other, by outward acts only. The one is a civil kingdom; 
the other, spiritual and civil. One forgives transgression 
through a remedial system in the government, and at the 
same time punishes the transgressor by death under the 
civil law. The United States Government illustrates the 
correct idea of a civil government. It was founded strictly 
as God would have it, a civil government only. The Con- 
stitution of the United States says, "Congress shall make 



1 1 8 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

no law respecting" an establishment of religion or prohibiting 
the free exercise thereof." The theocracy of God was 
broken up six hundred years before Christ. 

Let it not be forgotten that the civil regulations of God's 
government ended when the theocracy ended, and the crown 
and diadem were removed, b. c. 588. Eze. 21 125. The 
ceremonial laws relating to the remedial system for sin, and 
pointing forward to Christ, ended at the cross. The sani- 
tary laws given to Israel under this form of government 
are still good. The moral law, the ten commandments, 
remains unchanged, and is the basis of the whole govern- 
ment of God. The various laws governing the civil rela- 
tions and obligations of this government are recorded in 
Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, under the running 
titles at the top of the pages, "Divers laws and ordinances." 
The reader should turn and study these, that he may better 
understand their nature and purpose. This theocracy was 
not broken up because it was not a good government, nor 
a true form, but because of the utter refusal of those in 
office to listen to the voice of the prophet. In Deut. 13 
and 18:22 we find the rule by which they were to judge 
between the true and the false prophet, so that there was 
no excuse for the course they took. Moses, in his day. 
was the head of that government, but there were others 
associated with him. God is a God of order and thorough 
organization, and as the circumstances demanded, the 
organization was enlarged and completed. 

The advice given to Moses by his father-in-law, Jethro, 
was incorporated into and formed an important factor in 
that organization. On learning of the deliverance of the 
children of Israel, and of their being* in the Avilderness, 
Jethro visited the camp. '"And it came to pass on the mor- 
row, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people 
stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. And 
when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, 



Principles of Government. 119 

he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? 
why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by 
thee from morning unto even? And Moses said unto his 
father-in-law, Because the people come unto me to inquire 
of God; when they have a matter, they come unto me; 
and I judge between one and another, and I do make them 
know the statutes of God, and His laws. And Moses' 
father-in-law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is 
not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and 
this people that is with thee; for this thing is too heavy 
for thee ; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. 
Harken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and 
God shall be with thee : Be thou for the people to God- 
ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God; and 
thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt show 
them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that 
they must do. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the 
people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating 
covetousness ; and place such over them, to be rulers of 
thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and 
rulers of tens ; and let them judge the people at all seasons ; 
and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring 
unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge; so shall 
it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with 
thee. If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee 
so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people 
shall also go to their place in peace. So Moses harkened 
to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had 
said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and 
made them heads over the people." Ex. 18:13-25. 

Later on in their experience, as the children of Israel 
murmured against Moses, he complained to God that the 
burden was more than he could bear, and said to the Lord : 
"And if Thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray Thee, out 
of hand, if I have found favor in Thy sight ; and let me not 



120 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

see my wretchedness. And the Lord said unto Moses, 
Gather unto Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom 
thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers 
over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the con- 
gregation, that they may stand there with thee. And I 
will come down and talk with thee there; and I will take 
of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them ; 
and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that 
thou bear it not thyself alone." Num. 11:15-17. 

Here is a class of men authorized by the Spirit of God, 
called by the Lord Himself, and qualified by Him to bear 
burdens in the government of Israel. Moses gave instruc- 
tion to those who were first called, as to how they should 
judge, or bear rule. "Hear the causes between your 
brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his 
brother, and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not 
respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small 
as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of 
man; for the judgment is God's; and the cause that is 
too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it." 
Deut. 1 :i6, 17. "Judges and officers shalt thou make thee 
in all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, 
throughout thy tribes ; and they shall judge the people with 
just judgment. Thou shalt not wrest judgment ; thou shalt 
not respect persons, neither take a gift; for a gift doth 
blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the 
righteous. That which is altogether just shalt thou- fol- 
low, that thou may est live, and inherit the land which the 
Lord thy God giveth thee." Deut. 16:18-20. This com- 
pletes the organization of the theocracy of Israel, as per- 
taining to the principles governing the jpeople both civilly 
and spiritually. 

We will now trace their history nine hundred years, till 
the Babylonian captivity and the breaking up of this form 
of government. Moses was the leader of Israel forty years 



Principles of Government. 121 

in the wilderness. He subdues the Amalekites; Sihon, 
king of Heshbon; and Og, king of Bashan, and completes 
the work of subduing the nations on this side of Jordan. 
Moses' work is now completed. He rehearses his history 
before Israel, and gives a review of all their experiences 
in the wilderness, and lays before them the evidences of 
God's power during their entire history. Moses also 
records how he instructed Joshua: "And I commanded 
Joshua at that time, saying, Thine eyes have seen all that 
the Lord your God hath done unto these two kings ; so shall 
the Lord do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest. 
Ye shall not fear them; for the Lord your God He shall 
fight for you." Deut. 3:21, 22. He also refers to his 
experience with the Lord. Moses had taken the glory to 
himself in smiting the rock, and for that reason the Lord 
had said he should not go over into the promised land. 
He relates how he requested of the Lord that he might be 
permitted to pass over. "I pray Thee, let me go over, and 
see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly moun- 
tain, and Lebanon. But the Lord was wroth with me for 
your sakes, and would not hear me ; and the Lord said unto 
me, Let it suffice thee ; speak no more unto Me of this mat- 
ter. Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine 
eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and east- 
ward, and behold it with thine eyes; for thou shalt not go 
over this Jordan. But charge Joshua, and encourage him, 
and strengthen him ; for he shall go over before this people, 
and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou 
shalt see." Verses 25-28. "Now therefore harken, O 
Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I 
teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and 
possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth 
you. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command 
you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may 
keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I 



122 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

command you. Your eyes have seen what the Lord did 
because of Baal-peor; for all the men that followed Baal- 
peor, the Lord thy God hath destroyed them from among 
you. But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are 
alive every one of you this day. Behold, I have taught 
you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God 
commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither 
ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this 
is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the 
nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely 
this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For 
what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto 
them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon 
Him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath 
statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which 
I set before you this day?" "When thou shalt beget chil- 
dren, and children's children, and ye shall have remained 
long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make 
a graven image, or the likeness of anything, and shall do 
evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke Him to 
anger; I call heaven and earth to witness against you this 
day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land 
whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not 
prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. 
And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and 
ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither 
the Lord shall lead you." "When thou art in tribulation, 
and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter 
days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedi- 
ent unto His voice; ... He will not forsake thee, 
neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers 
which He sware unto them, ... to drive out nations 
from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to 
bring thee in, to give thee their land for an inheritance, as 
it is this day." Deuteronomy 4. 



Principles of Government. 123 

"When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land 
whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many 
nations before thee, . . . and when the Lord thy God 
shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and 
utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with 
them, nor show mercy unto them; neither shalt thou make 
marriages with them ; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto 
his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For 
they will turn away thy son from following Me, that they 
may serve other gods." "Wherefore it shall come to pass, 
if ye harken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, 
that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant 
and the mercy which He sware unto thy fathers; and He 
will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee; He will 
also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, 
thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy 
kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which He 
sware unto thy fathers to give thee. Thou shalt be blessed 
above all people; there shall not be male or female barren 
among you, or among your cattle. And the Lord will take 
away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil 
diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee ; but will 
lay them upon all them that hate thee." Deut. 7:1-4, 12-15. 
These are the judgments, the blessings and cursings, that 
Moses set before the children of Israel in his last charge, 
as recorded in the book of Deuteronomy. "And he gave 
Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and 
of a good courage; for thou shalt bring the children of 
Israel into the land which I sware unto them ; and I will 
be with thee." Deut. 31 123. Thus closes the history of 
this servant of God, and the burden of God's government 
falls upon Joshua, who was chosen in his stead to lead 
Israel across Jordan into the promised land. 




CHAPTER VI. 



JOSHUA. 



Joshua was one of the twelve spies, rulers among the 
people, sent from the wilderness of Paran to search out the 
land of Canaan. It was he who united with Caleb in the 
encouraging report, saying of the land, "We are well able 
to overcome it." Num. 13:30. They stated that it was a 
good country, and as evidence of its productiveness brought 
back samples of its grapes and other fruits. "And they 
came unto the brook of Eschol, and cut down from thence 
a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between 
two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, 
and of the figs/' Num. 13:23. The other spies said that 
the people who inhabited the land were giants, "and we were 
in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their 
sight." . 

Joshua now has an opportunity to show his faith in the 
report by undertaking the task of leading Israel into the 
promised land. His policy of government was exactly as 
that laid down by Moses ; in fact, he rehearsed the blessings 
and cursings that would follow them. He ruled Israel 
twenty-six years, and by him Israel was led across Jordan 
into the promised land. 
124 



Jos /ma. 125 

The first thing that Joshua does preparatory to entering 
the land is to send two spies over to learn the situation. 
"So the two men returned, and descended from the moun- 
tain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, 
and told him all things that befell them; and they said unto 
Joshua, Truly the Lord hath delivered into our hands all 
the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do 
faint because of us." Joshua 2 123, 24. "And it came to 
pass after three days, that the officers went through the 
host; and they commanded the people, saying, When ye 
see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the 
priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from 
your place, and go after it. Yet there shall be a space 
between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure ; 
come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which 
ye must go; for ye have not passed this way heretofore. 
And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves; for 
to-morrow the Lord will do wonders among you. And 
Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of 
the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they 
took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people. 
And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to 
magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know 
that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. And thou 
shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, 
saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of 
Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan." "Behold, the ark 
of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over 
before you into Jordan. Now therefore take you twelve men 
out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. And 
it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the 
priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the 
earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters 
of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down 
from above; and they shall stand upon an heap." "And 



126 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the 
feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim 
of the water (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the 
time of harvest), that the waters which came down from 
above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the 
city Adam; . . . and the people passed over right 
against Jericho. And the priests that bare the ark of the 
covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst 
of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, 
until all the people were passed clean over Jordan." 
Joshua 3. 

Joshua then ordered twelve men chosen from the people 
to take from the midst of Jordan every man a stone on his 
shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the chil- 
dren of Israel, "that this may be a sign among you, that 
when your children ask their fathers in time to come, say- 
ing, What mean ye by these stones? then ye shall answer 
them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the 
ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over 
Jordan, . . . and these stones shall be for a memorial 
unto the children of Israel forever." "And Joshua set up 
twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where 
the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant 
stood; and they are there unto this day." "About forty 
thousand prepared for war passed over before the Lord 
unto battle, to the plains of Jericho. On that day the Lord 
magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared 
him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life." "And 
it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the 
covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of 
Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto 
the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their 
place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before." 
Joshua 4. The Canaanites by this time had become much 
frightened, so much so "that their heart melted, neither was 



J os J ma, \2J 

there spirit in them any more, because of the children of 
Israel." Joshua 5 :i. 

In passing through the wilderness, the rite of circum- 
cision had been omitted, and all the men of war died who 
came out of Egypt. They "were consumed, because they 
obeyed not the voice of the Lord ;" and the Lord had sworn 
that He would not show them the land. "And their chil- 
dren, whom He raised up in their stead, them Joshua cir- 
cumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had 
not circumcised them by the way." "And the children of 
Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the 
fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. 
And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow 
after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in 
the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow 
after they had eaten of the old corn of the land ; neither had 
the children of Israel manna any more ; but they did eat of 
the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. 

"And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that 
he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood 
a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand ; 
and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou 
for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but 
as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And 
Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and 
said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant ? And 
the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy 
shoe from off thy foot ; for the place whereon thou standest 
is holy. And Joshua did so." Joshua 5. "And the Lord 
said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, 
and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor. And 
ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round 
about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And 
seven priests shall bear oefore the ark seven trumpets of 
rams' horns ; and the seventh day ye shall compass the city 



128 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. 
And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast 
with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the 
trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and 
the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall 
ascend up every man straight before him." Joshua 6 12-5. 

This instruction given by the Lord to Joshua was faith- 
fully carried out ; and on the seventh clay they encompassed 
the city seven times. And when they had compassed the 
city seven times, the priests blew with the trumpets, and 
down came the wall flat to the ground, so that every man 
went straight forward from where he was standing, and 
captured the city and slew the inhabitants. This is a sam- 
ple of God's manner of warfare. He had promised to fight 
their battles, and He fights not as man would fight. 

"So the Lord was with Joshua ; and his fame was noised 
throughout all the country." 

Thus far we have a history of Israel as recorded in the 
first six chapters of the book of Joshua. Hitherto victory 
had attended them; but a change comes over the scene. 
Another city is to be taken, but it is not taken as easily as 
the first one. For /'the children of Israel committed a tres- 
pass in the accursed thing; for Achan, ... of the 
tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing; and the anger 
of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel. 
And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai. . . . And 
the men went up and viewed Ai. And they returned to 
Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; 
but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite 
Ai ; and make not all the people to labor thither ; for they 
are but few. So there went up thither of the people about 
three thousand men; and they fled before the men of Ai. 
And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men ; 
for they chased them from before the gate even unto 
Shebarim; . . . wherefore the hearts of the people 




Wk^ : 



JOSHUA BURNING- A I. 



Joshua. 1 3 1 

melted, and became as water. And Joshua rent his clothes, 
and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the 
Lord until eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put 
dust upon their heads. And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord 
God, wherefore hast Thou at all brought this people over 
Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to 
destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt 
on the other side Jordan ! O Lord, what shall I say, when 
Israel turneth their backs before their enemies ! For the 
Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear 
of it, and shall environ us round, and cut of! our name from 
the earth ; and what wilt Thou do unto Thy great name ? 
And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore 
liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they 
have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded 
them; for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and 
have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it 
even among their own stuff." Joshua 7:1-11. 

Joshua now follows the instruction of the Lord in seek- 
ing out the thief. Achan is found. He confesses his sin, 
and says, "When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylon- 
ish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge 
of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and 
took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the 
midst of my tent, and the silver under it." Verse 21. 
Achan was punished by death, his effects were all burned 
by fire, and the camp was cleansed. The eighth chapter 
continues, "And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, 
neither be thou dismayed; take all the people of war with 
thee, and arise, go up to Ai ; see, I have given into thy hand 
the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land ; 
and thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto 
Jericho and her king." 

Joshua now has no trouble in capturing Ai. The city 
is taken and destroyed, and twelve thousand of the men of 



132 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

Ai were slain. "For Joshua drew not his hand back, 
wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly 
destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai." Verse 26. "And 
afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings 
and cursings, according to all that is written in the book 
of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses com- 
manded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation 
of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the 
strangers that were conversant among them." Verses 

34, 35- 

Joshua 9 : "And it came to pass, when all the kings 
which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the 
valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against 
Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the 
Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof; that 
they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and 
with Israel, with one accord. And when the inhabitants 
of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and 
to Ai, they did work wilily, and went and made as if they 
had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, 
and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; and old 
shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon 
them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and 
mouldy. And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, 
and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come 
from a far country; now therefore make ye a league with 
us. And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Per- 
adventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a 
league with you ? And they said unto Joshua, We are thy 
servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and 
from whence come ye? And they said unto him, From 
a very far country thy servants are come because of the 
name of the Lord thy God; for we have heard the fame 
of Him, and all that He did in Egypt." "Wherefore our 
elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, 



Joshua. 1 3 3 

saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to 
meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants; 
therefore now make ye a league with us." 

Now it was the duty of Israel to inquire of the Lord 
concerning this proposition before they made any contract. 
The gift of prophecy was not only for the purpose of fore- 
telling future events, but to direct them under present cir- 
cumstances pertaining to the Lord's people. "And the men 
took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth 
of the Lord. And Joshua made peace with them, and made 
a league with them, to let them live; and the princes of the 
congregation sware unto them. And it came to pass at the 
end of three days after they had made a league with them, 
that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that 
they dwelt among them." Joshua, seeing his mistake, kept 
his word, and made the best of it, and the Gibeonites were 
made their servants; but they proved a snare to Israel, as 
appeared later on in their history. 

Five other kings of Canaan, learning of the Gibeonites' 
league, declared war against the Gibeonites. The latter 
now called for Joshua's help, as we read in Joshua 10:6, 
and following: "And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua 
to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy 
servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us; 
for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the moun- 
tains are gathered together against us. So Joshua ascended 
from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and 
all the mighty men of valor. And the Lord said unto 
Joshua, Fear them not; for I have delivered them into 
thine hand ; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. 
Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up 
from Gilgal all night. And the Lord discomfited them 
before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at 
Gibeon. . . . And it came to pass, as they fled from 
before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, 



134 Ttie Inspired Histojy of the Nations. 

that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon 
them unto Azekah, and they died; they were more which 
died with the hailstones than they whom the children of 
Israel slew with the sword. Then spake Joshua to the 
Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites 
before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of 
Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon ; and thou, Moon, 
in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the 
moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon 
their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? 
So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not 
to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like 
that before it or after it, that the Lord harkened unto the 
voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel." 

These kings fled, and took refuge in a cave. The men 
of Israel stopped the mouth of the cave with huge stones, 
till after the battle was ended, when they returned and slew 
the kings. Thus we have another record of how the Lord 
fights in battle. The greatness of His power is unlimited. 
For the same God who governed Israel governs the worlds, 
and He could even command that the sun and the moon 
stand still in their course until His work is accomplished. 

"So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the 
south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their 
kings ; he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that 
breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded." Joshua 
10:40. "So Joshua took the whole land, according to all 
that the Lord said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an 
inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their 
tribes. And the land rested from war." Joshua 11:23. 

"Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gil- 
gal ; and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto 
him, Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto 
Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadesh- 
barnea. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant 



Joshua. 135 

of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the 
land ; and I brought him word again as it was in mine 
heart. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me 
made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed 
the Lord my God. And Moses sware on that day, saying, 
Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be 
thine inheritance, and thy children's forever, because thou 
hast wholly followed the Lord my God. And now, behold, 
the Lord hath kept me alive, as He said, these forty and 
five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, 
while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness; 
and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 
As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that 
Moses sent me; as my strength was then, even so is my 
strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. 
Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord 
spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the 
Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and 
fenced ; if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be 
able to drive them out, as the Lord said. And Joshua 
blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh 
Hebron for an inheritance." Joshua 14:6-13. 

Here we have a wonderful example of faith brought to 
view, that of Caleb and Joshua. They had brought back 
the report that the Anakims were a mighty nation, and 
powerful in stature and strength, but that, if the Lord was 
with them, they could go up and possess the land. Caleb, 
at the age of eighty-five, comes forward and asks that that 
portion be given him, saying that his strength was as it was 
forty-five years ago, and that, if the Lord be with him, 
he could drive them out. The record says that he did drive 
them out. These principles thus far studied in the history 
of Moses and Joshua will ever govern God's people, and 
no system of Christianizing any nation or people can ever 
be carried on under any other principle than that of right- 



I36 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

eousness and faith. It is very important that all professed 
Christian people in this age of the world should understand 
this. 

"When they had made an end of dividing the land for 
inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an 
inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them; accord- 
ing to the word of the Lord they gave him the city which 
he asked, even Timnath-serah in Mount Ephraim; and he 
built the city, and dwelt therein." Joshua 19:49, 50. 

The priests were also provided for with cities and their 
suburbs. "All the cities of the children of Aaron, the 
priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs." Joshua 
21 119. "And it came to pass a long time after that the 
Lord had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies 
round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age. 
And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and 
for their heads, and for their judges, and for their offi- 
cers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age; 
and ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done 
unto all these nations because of you ; for the Lord 
your God is He that hath fought for you." "Be ye 
therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that 
is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye 
curn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the 
left; that ye come not among these nations, these that 
remain among you; neither make mention of the name of 
their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, 
nor bow yourselves unto them; but cleave unto the Lord 
your God, as ye have done unto this day. For the Lord 
hath driven out from before you great nations and strong; 
but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you 
unto this day. One man of you shall chase a thousand; 
for the Lord your God, He it is that fighteth for you, as 
He hath promised you. Take good heed therefore unto 
yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God. Else if ye 



Jos] ma. 1 3 7 

do in any wise -go back, and cleave unto the remnant of 
these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall 
make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they 
to you; know for a certainty that the Lord your God will 
no more drive out any of these nations from before you ; 
but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges 
in your sides, and. thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from 
off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you. 
And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth ; 
and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that 
not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the 
Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass 
unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. There- 
fore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come 
upon you, which the Lord your God promised you ; so shall 
the Lord bring upon you all evil things, until He have 
destroyed you from off this good land which the Lord your 
God hath given you. When ye have transgressed the 
covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded 
you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed your- 
selves to them ; then shall the anger of the Lord be kindled 
against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good 
land which He hath given unto you." Joshua 23. 

"Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve Him in sin- 
cerity and in truth; and put away the gods which your 
fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt ; 
and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to 
serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; 
whether the gods which your fathers served that were on 
the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, m 
whose land ye dwell ; but as for me and my house, we will 
serve the Lord. And the people answered and said, God 
forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods." 
"And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against 
yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve Him. 



138 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

And they said, We are witnesses.'' Joshua 24:14-16, 22. 

"And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law 
of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under 
an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. And 
Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be 
a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the 
Lord which He spake unto us ; it shall be therefore a wit- 
ness unto you, lest ye deny your God." "And it came to 
pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the 
servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years 
old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance 
in Timnath-serah, which is in Mount Ephraim, on the 
north side of the hill of Gaash. And Israel served the Lord 
all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that 
overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of 
the Lord, that He had done for Israel." Joshua 24:26, 
27, 29-31. 

Thus we have the history of Joshua as recorded by the 
pen of inspiration. He had been with Israel in all their 
experiences, from the time they left Egypt to his death. 
His equal in character and faith is seldom found. He 
thoroughly understood the hidden source of power. God 
is unchangeable, and the same principles which governed 
Israel must govern His followers to-day. And as the 
movements of nations are one of the important features 
of the last days, let us study the principles here laid clown, 
that we be not deceived in matters claimed to pertain to 
the things of God, but which in reality do not. By com- 
paring the present movements of nations with these prin- 
ciples, we will soon be able to discern whether the provi- 
dence of God is in this method of Christianizing or not. 



nol" my word... like a hammer that" bpeak= 
?th the poek in pieces?" Jer..23:?9 



CHAPTER VII. 



JUDGES. 

"Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that 
the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, Who shall 
go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against 
them? And the Lord said, Judah shall go up; behold, I 
have delivered the land into his hand." Judges i :i, 2. 
Judah was now chosen to be the foremost tribe of Israel. 
Verse 19: "And the Lord was with Judah; and He drave 
out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive 
out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots 
of iron." Verses 28 and following : "And it came to pass, 
when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to 
tribute, and did not utterly drive them out. Neither did 
Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but 
the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them." Neither did 
Zebulun, Asher, nor Naphtali drive out the inhabitants that 
were among them, though they became tributary. And 
the angel of the Lord appeared and upbraided them, remind- 
ing them that God had charged them strictly, saying: "Ye 
shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; 
ye shall throw down their altars ; but ye have not obeyed 
My voice ; why have ye done this ? Wherefore I also said, 

139 



140 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall 
be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare 
unto you. And it came to pass, when the angel of the 
Lord spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that 
the people lifted up their voice, and wept." Judges 2:1-4. 
After the death of Joshua there was a change in the 
experience of Israel. Verses 11, 12: "And the children 
of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served 
Baalim; and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, 
which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed 
other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about 
them." Verses 14-22 : "And the anger of the Lord was 
hot against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands 
of spoilers that spoiled them, and He sold them into the 
hands of their enemies round about, so that they could 
not any longer stand before their enemies. Whithersoever 
they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for 
evil, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn 
unto them; and they were greatly distressed. Neverthe- 
less the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out 
of the hand of those that spoiled them. And yet they 
would not harken unto their judges, but they went a ,whor- 
ing after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them ; 
they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers 
walked in. . . . And it came to pass, when the judge 
was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves 
more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve 
them, and to bow unto them; they ceased not from their 
own doings, nor from their stubborn way. And the anger 
of the Lord was hot against Israel ; and He said, Because 
that this people hath transgressed My covenant which I 
commanded their fathers, and have not barkened unto My 
voice ; I also will not henceforth drive out any from before 
them of the nations which Joshua left when he died ; that 
through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep 



Judges. 1 4 1 

the way of the Lord to walk therein, as their fathers did 
keep it, or not." Judges 3 14-7 : "And they were to prove 
Israel by, them [the heathen left among them], to know 
whether they would harken unto the commandments of the 
Lord, which He commanded their fathers by the hand of 
Moses. And the children of Israel dwelt among the 
Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and 
Hivites, and Jebusites; and they took their daughters to 
be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and 
served their gods. And the children of Israel did evil in 
the sight of the Lord, and forgat the Lord their God, and 
served Baalim and the groves." 

Here we have a vivid description of this important point 
in Israel's history. The Lord now makes use of these 
nations to prove Israel's true character. They had been 
told not to mingle or intermarry with these nations. But 
they violated this instruction so far that their sons and 
their daughters were joined in marriage to the heathen; 
thus the power of heathen influence was too strong; they 
yielded, and, as a result, they departed from God and for- 
got His commandments. Here is another point that ought 
to be equally understood to-day by all Christian people : 
promiscuous marriages and associations with the world 
at this time are as sure to lead from God and His truth 
as they did in the days of Israel of old. Let all these, 
points be considered by the Lord's people in the study of 
this important history. 

Judges 3 :8 : "Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot 
against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Chushan- 
rishathaim king of Mesopotamia ; and the children of Israel 
served Chushan-rishathaim eight years." They again 
cried to the Lord for deliverance, and the Lord raised up 
Othniel, a son of Caleb's younger brother. And the Spirit 
of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and 
declared war against the above-named king, and prevailed 



I4 2 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

against him. And the land had rest forty years. And 
Othniel died. Israel again repeats its history, and does 
evil in the sight of the Lord, and (verses 12-14) "the Lord 
strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, 
because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. And 
he gathered unto him the children of Amnion and Amalek, 
and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm 
trees. So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of 
Moab eighteen years." 

They again turned to the Lord with repentance, and 
Ehud, a Benjamite, a left-handed man, is now raised up 
to deliver Israel. He slays king Eglon with a dagger, 
which he had especially prepared for the purpose, and then, 
raising an army, he slew about ten thousand men of the 
Moabites, and this time the land of Israel had rest eighty 
years. 

"And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which 
slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad; 
and he also delivered Israel." Chapter 4: "And the chil- 
dren of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when 
Ehud was dead. And the Lord sold them into the hand 
of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the cap- 
tain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth 
of the Gentiles. And the children of Israel cried unto the 
Lord ; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron ; and 
twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel." 
This time the Lord raised up a woman, and used her as 
a deliverer. "And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of 
Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time." 

"She sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of 
Kedesh-naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord 
God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward 
Mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the 
children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? And 
I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the cap- 



w& 



§,'WII«SfeIII 




DEBORAH PROPHESYING. 



Judges. 145 

tain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude ; 
and I will deliver him into thine hand. And Barak said 
unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go; but if 
thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. And she 
said, I will surely go with thee; notwithstanding the jour- 
ney that thou takest shall not be for thine honor; for the 
Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And 
Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh." Verses 
6-9. "And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even 
nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were 
with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river 
of Kishon. And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this 
is the day in which the Lord hath delivered Sisera into 
thine hand. . . . And the Lord discomfited Sisera, 
and all his chariots, and all his host, with the edge of the 
sword before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down off his 
chariot, and fled away on his feet." Verses 13-15. 

He flees to the house of Heber, and Heber's wife, Jael, 
invites him in, and opened a bottle of milk and gave him 
drink. He lay down upon the floor, and she covered him, 
and, when he had gone to sleep, "then Jael Heber's wife 
took a nail of the tent, and took a hammer in her hand, 
and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his tem- 
ples, and fastened it into the ground ; for he was fast asleep 
and weary. So he died." Verse 21. As Barak follows 
in pursuit, Jael met him, and said, "Come, and I will show 
thee the man whom thou seekest. And when he came into 
her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and the nail was in his 
temples. So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of 
Canaan before the children of Israel. And the hand of the 
children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin 
the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king 
of Canaan." 

The fifth chapter of Judges records the song of deliver- 
ance sung by Deborah and Barak, which closes with these 



146 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

words : "So let all Thine enemies perish, O Lord ; but let 
them that love Him be as the sun when he goeth forth in 
his might. And the land had rest forty years." 

We have now followed the history of Israel from 1491 
to 1256 b. c, and have learned, thus far, that, whenever 
Israel departed from God, they were invariably delivered 
into the hands of other nations. But, upon their repent- 
ance, the Lord would again restore them to their own lands. 
The last deliverer was a female, being both a ruler and a 
prophetess. God is not dependent upon any class or sex. 
This woman was the head of the government for forty 
years, and a mighty reformer in Israel. 

Passing to chapter six and onward, we notice their his- 
tory still farther. "And the children of Israel did evil in 
the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into 
the hand of Midian seven years. And the hand of Midian 
prevailed against Israel ; and because of the Midianites the 
children of Israel made them the dens which are in the 
mountains, and caves, and strongholds. And so it was, 
when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the 
Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came 
up against them; and they encamped against them, and 
destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto 
Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor 
ox, nor ass." "And Israel was greatly impoverished 
because of the Midianites ; and the children of Israel cried 
unto the Lord. And it came to pass, when the children 
of Israel cried unto the Lord because of the Midianites, 
that the Lord sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, 
which said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, 
I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out 
of the house of bondage." "And there came an angel of 
the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that 
pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite; and his son Gideon 
threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the 



Judges. 147 

Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto 
him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty 
man of valor. And Gideon said unto him, O my Lord, if 
the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and 
where be all His miracles which our fathers told us of, 
saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but 
now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the 
hands of the Midianites. And the Lord looked upon him, 
and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel 
from the hand of the Midianites; have not I sent thee? 
And he said unto Him, O my Lord, wherewith shall I save 
Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am 
the least in my father's house. And the Lord said unto 
him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the 
Midianites as one man." 

Gideon now made ready a kid and unleavened cakes, 
and brought it out to the angel under the oak. "And the 
angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the un- 
leavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out 
the broth. And he did so. Then the angel of the Lord 
put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and 
touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose 
up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the 
unleavened cakes." Gideon had asked for a sign, and when 
he had seen this, he realized that he had been talking to an 
angel,- and he was afraid. "And the Lord said unto him, 
Peace be unto thee; fear not; thou shalt not die." 

The Lord then instructs him to tear down the altar of 
Baal, and cut down the grove, and commence his work of 
reform in Israel. The first work was begun at his father's 
house. He went in the night, tore down the altar, and cut 
down the grove. And when the worshipers of Baal saw it 
the next morning, they inquired diligently who had done 
this. They were informed that Gideon, the son of Joash, 
had done this thing. The men of the city then came, and 



148 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

demanded of Joash that he bring out his son, that he might 
die. And Joash said unto all that stood against him : Will 
ye plead for Baal ? He that will plead for him, let him be 
put to death. If he be a god, let him plead for himself. 

"Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the 
children of the east were gathered together, and went over, 
and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. But the Spirit of the 
Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and 
Abi-ezer was gathered after him. And he sent messengers 
throughout all Manasseh ; who also was gathered after him ; 
and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and 
unto Naphtali ; and they came up to meet them. And 
Gideon said unto God, If Thou wilt save Israel by mine 
hand, as Thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool 
in the floor ; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be 
dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that Thou 
wilt save Israel by mine hand, as Thou hast said." The 
Lord fulfilled this sign for Gideon. The ground was dry 
all about the fleece, but he wrung a bowl of water out of 
the fleece. "And Gideon said unto God, Let not Thine 
anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once; 
let me prove, I pray Thee, but this once with the fleece ; 
let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the 
ground let there be dew." This also proved as Gideon had 
requested. The next morning the ground was wet, but the 
fleece was dry. 

Gideon now marched his army in the direction of the 
enemy. But the Lord said to Gideon: "The people that 
are with thee are too many, . . . lest [if I give the 
Midianites into their hands] Israel vaunt themselves against 
Me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. Now there- 
fore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Who- 
soever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early 
from Mount Gilead. And there returned of the people 
twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thou- 









■I 




Judges. I $ 1 

sand." This must have looked discouraging to Gideon, 
for over two-thirds of his army returned home. "And the 
Lord said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many ; bring 
them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee 
there; and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This 
shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of 
whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, 
the same shall not go. So he brought down the people 
unto the water; and the Lord said unto Gideon, Every one 
that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, 
him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that bow- 
eth upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that 
lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hun- 
dred men. . . . And the Lord said unto Gideon, By 
the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and 
deliver the Midianites into thine hand ; and let all the other 
people go every man unto his place." So he sent all the 
rest home. 

The Lord gave to one of the Midianites a night dream, 
and he told his partner : "Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, 
lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, 
and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and over- 
turned it, that the tent lay along. And his fellow answered 
and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the 
son of Joash, a man of Israel ; for into his hand hath God 
delivered Midian, and all the host." Gideon had gone 
down with his servants to spy out and learn all he could 
of the camp of Midian. He overheard them relating this 
dream, also the interpretation, and he knew that this was 
a sign that God had given them into his hand. "And he 
divided the three hundred men into three companies, and 
he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, 
and lamps within the pitchers." Then he said : Now look 
at me, and do as I do. And when I come to the outside 
of the camp, watch me, and do as I show you. When I 



I 5 2 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

and those with me blow the trumpet, then blow ye the 
trumpets on every side of the camp, and say, "The sword 
of the Lord, and of Gideon." At the middle watch of that 
night the camp was surrounded; they blew the trumpets, 
and broke the pitchers, and held the lamps in their hands, 
and cried, "The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon." And 
all the hosts ran and fled. And the Lord set every man's 
sword against his fellow, even throughout all the hosts. 
And Israel gathered against the hosts of the Midianites, 
and pursued Midian, and a great slaughter followed. Thus 
was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that 
they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was 
in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon. 

"Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou 
over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also ; 
for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. And 
Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither 
shall my son rule over you ; the Lord shall rule over you." 
Judges 8 :22, 23. This man understood the source of all 
strength and wisdom. He knew it was a government of 
God, and that God was the rightful ruler, and His rep- 
resentative here on the earth was simply His servant, and 
the prophet His mouthpiece. "And Gideon the son of 
Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepul- 
cher of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites." 
Verse 32. 

JEPHTHAH. 

"And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight 
of the Lord, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the 
gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, 
and the gods of the children of Amnion, and the gods of 
the Philistines, and forsook the Lord, and served not Him. 
And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and 
He sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the 



Judges. i 5 $ 

hands of the children of Amnion. And that year they 
vexed and oppressed the children of Israel; eighteen years, 
all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan, 
in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. Moreover 
the children of Amnion passed over Jordan to fight also 
against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house 
of Ephraim ; so that Israel was sore distressed. 

"And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, 
We have sinned against Thee, both because we have for- 
saken our God, and also served Baalim." Judges 10:6-10. 

As Israel now cries to the Lord, the Lord answers : 
"Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them 
deliver you in the time of your tribulation. And the chil- 
dren of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned ; do Thou 
unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto Thee; deliver us 
only, we pray Thee, this day. And they put away the 
strange gods from among them, and served the Lord ; and 
His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel." "And the 
people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What 
man is he that will begin to fight against the children of 
Ammon? he shall be head over all the inhabitants of 
Gilead." Judges 10:14-16, 18. 

"Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of 
valor, and he was the son of an harlot; and Gilead begat 
Jephthah." Judges 11 :i. This man was now chosen as 
the leader of Israel for their deliverance from the Ammon- 
ites. "Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, 
and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and passed over 
Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed 
over unto the children of Ammon. And Jephthah vowed 
a vow unto the Lord, and said, If Thou shalt without fail 
deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, then it 
shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my 
house to meet me, when I return in peace from the chil- 
dren of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord's, and I will offer 



156 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

it up for a burnt-offering/' judges 11:29-31. This vow 
reveals the earnestness and great desire this man had in the 
deliverance of Israel. His war with the Ammonites was 
a success, but the most trying hour was before this servant 
of God on his return home. 

"And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, 
behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels 
and with dances ; and she was his only child ; beside her 
he had neither son nor daughter. And it came to pass, 
when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, 
my daughter ! thou hast brought me very low, and thou 
art one of them that trouble me ; for I have opened my 
mouth unto the Lord, and I can not go back. And she 
said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth 
unto the Lord, do to me according to that which hath pro- 
ceeded out of thy mouth ; forasmuch as the Lord hath 
taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the chil- 
dren of Amnion. And she said unto her father, Let this 
thing be done for me : let me alone two months, that I may 
go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my vir- 
ginity, I and my fellows. And he said, Go. And he sent 
her away for two months ; and she went with her com- 
panions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains. 
And it came to pass at .the end of two months, that she 
returned unto her father, who did with her according to 
his vow which he had vowed ; and she knew no man. And 
it was a custom in Israel, that the daughters of Israel went 
yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four 
days in a year." Judges 11 :34~4-0. 

Many have supposed by the reading of this scripture 
that Jephthah took the life of his only child in the carrying 
out of this vow. Other renderings of these scriptures 
show that this was not the case. The marginal reading- 
shows that the daughters of Israel went yearly to talk to 
the daughter of Jephthah. "She knew no man;" that is, 




JEPHTHAHS DAUGHTER COMING TO MEET HER FATHER. 



Judges. 159 

she separated herself, to devote her life exclusively to the 
service of God. In these days of Israel's history there was 
a cherished hope among the daughters of Israel, like that 
cherished by Eve, that one of them might be the mother of 
the promised Seed, and to separate from this hope was a 
great cross, and, further, this cut off all hope of Jephthah 
for future posterity of his family, as she was the only child. 
The consecration was so great on the part of both father 
and daughter that the daughters of Israel went yearly to 
celebrate and talk with Jephthah' s daughter. 

SAMSON. 

Another one of the noted characters among the judges 
of Israel was Samson. Israel had again departed from 
the Lord, as we read in chapter thirteen of the Judges. 
"And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of 
the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of 
the Philistines forty years. And there was a certain man 
of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was 
Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not. And the 
angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, and said unto 
her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not ; but thou 
shalt conceive, and bear a son." 

The Lord, foreseeing the situation, begins the prepara- 
tion to meet the emergency; and so the angel of the Lord 
appeared to the wife of Manoah, and informs her that she 
should bear a son, then gives the divine instruction to the 
mother concerning her manner of life, that the son might 
be such an individual as He could use. "Now therefore 
beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, 
and eat not any unclean thing ; for, lo, thou shalt conceive, 
and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head; for 
the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb ; and 
he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the 



i6o The Inspired History of the Nations. 

Philistines." This was heaven-born instruction, and if all 
mothers would follow the instruction here given, the world 
would not have been filled with the sorrow it is now. There 
would not be the drunkenness, the sickness, the enfeebled 
minds that exist to-day. Christian education and Chris- 
tian temperance begin with the parents. It is hard to ex- 
tinguish the flames of a burning building, so there are 
few reformations, comparatively speaking, of persons that 
have inherited the vices of which the human race is so 
made up in this age of the world. 

The woman informed her husband of the conversation. 
"Then Manoah entreated the Lord, and said, O my Lord, 
let the man of God which Thou didst send come again 
unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that 
shall be born. And God harkened to the voice of Manoah ; 
and the angel of God came again unto the woman as she 
sat in the field ; but Manoah her husband was not with her. 
And the woman made haste, and ran, and showed her 
husband, and said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared 
unto me, that came unto me the other day. And Manoah 
arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man, and 
said unto him. Art thou the man that spakest unto the 
woman? And he said. I am. And Manoah said. Now 
let thy words come to pass. How shall we order the 
child, and how shall we do unto him? And the angel of 
the Lord said, . . . She may not eat of anything that 
cometh of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong 
drink, nor eat any unclean thing : all that I commanded her 
let her observe." The instructions were carried out by the 
mother. 

"And the woman bare a son, and called his name Sam- 
son; and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him. And 
the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the 
camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol." 

When Samson grew up to manhood, he visited the 



Judges. 1 6 1 

Philistines, and found there a girl of the daughters of the 
Philistines whom he desired for a wife. He made this 
known to his parents, and asked them if they would not 
secure her for him. "Then his father and his mother said 
unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of 
thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to 
take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Sam- 
son said unto his father, Get her for me ; for she pleaseth 
me well. But his father and his mother knew not that it 
was of the Lord, that He sought an occasion against the 
Philistines ; for at that time the Philistines had dominion 
over Israel." Judges 14:3, 4. 

The father and mother consent to go with the boy, 
to visit the Philistines and become acquainted with the 
woman. On their way to that country, Samson met a lion, 
and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him ; he had nothing 
in his hand, but he rent the lion as if it were a kid; but 
he did not tell his parents. They found the girl pleased 
Samson well. On his second trip, when he went after the 
girl, to take her as his wife, he turned aside to see the 
carcass of the lion, and, behold, a swarm of bees had made 
their hive in the carcass, and filled it with honey. He took 
what he wished to eat, and carried some to his father and 
mother. On their second trip, Samson made a feast, and 
at the time of that feast the record states thus: "And 
Samson said unto them, I will put forth a riddle unto you ; 
if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of 
the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets 
and thirty change of garments; but if ye can not declare 
it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change 
of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy 
riddle, that we may hear it. And he said unto them, Out 
of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came 
forth sweetness. And they could not in three days ex- 
pound the riddle. And it came to pass on the seventh day, 
11 



1 62 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that 
he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and 
thy father's house with fire; have ye called us to take that 
we have? is it not so? And Samson's wife wept before 
him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not; 
thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, 
and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, 
I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I 
tell it thee? And she wept before him the seven days, 
while their feast lasted ; and it came to pass on the seventh 
day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him; and 
she told the riddle to the children of her people. And the 
men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the 
sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is 
stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had 
not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle." 
This gave occasion to Samson for the difficulties to arise 
between him and the Philistines. "And the Spirit of the 
Lord came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and 
slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave 
change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. 
And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's 
house. But Samson's wife was given to his companion, 
whom he had used as his friend." Judges 14:19, 20. 

"But it came to pass within a while after, in the time 
of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid ; 
and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber; but 
her father would not suffer him to go in. And her father 
said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her ; 
therefore I gave her to thy companion; is not her younger 
sister fairer then she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her. 
And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more 
blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a dis- 
pleasure. And Samson went and caught three hundred 
foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put 



Judges. 163 

a firebrand in the midst between two tails. And when he 
had set the* brands on fire, he let them go into the standing 
corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and 
also, the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives. 
Then the Philistines said, Who hath done* this ? And they 
answered, Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because 
he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. 
And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father 
with fire. And Samson said unto them, Though ye have 
done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that will 
cease. And he smote them hip and thigh with a great 
slaughter; and he went down and dwelt in the top of the 
rock Etam." Judges 15:1-8. 

This enraged the Philistines, and they made war against 
Judah. Judah at this time were tributaries to the Philis- 
tines, and they were not pleased with the course that Sam- 
son had taken, for fear it would only increase their hard- 
ships; so they came to Samson, to bind him and deliver 
him to the Philistines. Samson made them swear that they 
would not fall upon him themselves, except upon these con- 
ditions, and on conditions of their promise he suffered them 
to bind him with two new cords. "And when he came 
unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him; and the 
Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the cords 
that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt 
with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands. And 
he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, 
and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith. And 
Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon 
heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men. 
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, 
that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called 
that place Ramath-lehi. And he was sore athirst, and 
called on the Lord, and said, Thou hast given this great 
deliverance into the hand of thy servant; and now shall I 



164 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised ? 
But God clave a hollow place that was in the jaw, and there 
came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit 
came again, and he revived; wherefore he called the name 
thereof En-hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day." 

Later on in Samson's history he loved one Delilah, and 
through this woman Samson was enticed, and on one occa- 
sion the lords of the Philistines offered her large sums 
of money if she would devise a plan that he might be turned 
over to them. "And Samson said unto her, If they bind 
me with seven green withs that were never dried, then 
shall I be weak, and be as another man. Then the lords 
of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which 
had not been dried, and she bound him with them. Now 
there were many men lying in wait, abiding with her in the 
chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon 
thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow 
is broken when it toucheth the fire. So his strength was 
not known." Judges 16:7-9. 

Delilah now accuses Samson of mocking her, and she 
again besought him that he would tell her the source of 
his strength. "And he said unto her, If they bind me fast 
with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I be 
weak, and be as another man. Delilah therefore took new 
ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The 
Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were Hers in 
wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from 
off his arms like a thread." 

She now accuses him of telling her lies, and she besought 
him earnestly to tell her where his strength was. "And 
he said unto her. If thou weavest the seven locks of my 
head with the web. And she fastened it with the pin, and 
said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And 
he awaked out of his sleep, and went away with the pin of 
the beam, and with the web." 



Judges. 165 

She now accuses him of fooling her three times. "And 
it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, 
and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death ; that 
he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not 
come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite 
unto God from my mother's womb; if I be shaven, then 
my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and 
be like" any other man. And when Delilah saw that he had 
told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of 
the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath 
showed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines 
came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. And 
she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a 
man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of 
his head ; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went 
from him. And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, 
Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will 
go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And 
he wist not that the Lord was departed from him." This 
was the fatal step for Samson. He now passes the bound- 
ary line. God had given the instruction that a razor should 
not come upon his head, and that he should be a Nazarite 
from his youth. The power was not in Samson's hair, 
as the Philistines supposed, but it was in obedience to God. 
It was not in the peculiarities of the waters of Jordan that 
caused Naman, the Assyrian, to be healed, but it is ever 
in obedience. Samson was now no more powerful than 
other ordinary men. It was a sad mistake for Samson. 
"But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and 
brought him clown to Gaza, and bound him with fetters 
of brass ; and he did grind in the prison houseo" 

In the course of time Samson's hair again grew. He 
saw his mistake, and he again called upon the Lord. The 
Philistines made a great feast to their god Dagon, and, 
when they were in the midst of their merriment, they took 



1 66 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

Samson out of his prison house to make sport for them, 
and they set him in between the pillars. "And Samson said 
unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I 
may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I 
may lean upon them. Now the house was full of men 
and women ; and all the lords of the Philistines were there ; 
and there were upon the roof about three thousand men 
and women, that beheld while Samson was made sport. 
And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, 
remember me, I pray Thee, and strengthen me, I pray Thee, 
only this once, O God. that I may be at once avenged of 
the Philistines for my two eyes. And Samson took hold 
of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and 
on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, 
and of the other with his left. And Samson said, Let me 
die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all 
his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all 
the people that were therein; so the dead which he slew 
at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.'' 
Samson judged Israel twenty years. Had he proven 
true to God, the yoke of the Philistines would have been 
broken. His repentance for his mistake in having his hair 
cut, and thus disobeying God, was no doubt complete, as 
his strength was again restored to him, as shown on the day 
of his death. 




CHAPTER VIII. 



SAMUEL. 

We now turn to the book of Samuel. Going back to 
1 171 b.. c, where the history of this man begins, we read 
some statements regarding his birth and childhood. Sam- 
uel was a child born in answer to prayer. His mother had 
made a solemn vow to the Lord that, if God would grant 
her request, she would give the child to the Lord. "For 
this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my peti- 
tion which I asked of Him; therefore also I have lent him 
to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the 
Lord. And he worshiped the Lord there." 1 Sam. 
1 127, 28. 

Eli was high priest at this time, but was a man that 
failed to govern his children and bring them up in the fear 
of God. "Now the sons of Eli were the sons of Belial ; they 
knew not the Lord." 1 Sam. 2:12. Eli permitted them 
to take part in the services of the sanctuary, which was very 
unsatisfactory to the people. And they used their position 
for mercenary purposes. "Wherefore the sin of the young 
men was very great before the Lord ; for men abhorred the 
offering of the Lord. But Samuel ministered before the 
Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod." Verses 
17, 18. "Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons 
did unto all Israel. . . . And he said unto them, Why 
do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all 

i6q 



I^o The Inspired History of the Nations. 

this people. Nay, my sons ; for it is no good report that I 
hear; ye make the Lord's people to transgress. If one man 
sin against another, the judge shall judge him; but if a man 
sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him ? Notwith- 
standing they harkened not unto the voice of their father, 
because the Lord would slay them." Verses 22-25. Their 
course was so wicked that it was only a question of time 
till God would take the matter into His own hands and 
punish them. A prophet soon appears before Eli, and 
informs him of what he might expect. ''Wherefore the 
Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and 
the house of thy father, should walk before Me forever; 
but now the Lord saith, Be it far from Me; for them that 
honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me shall be 
lightly esteemed. Behold, the days come, that I will cut 
off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there 
shall not be an old man in thine house." "And the man 
of thine, whom I shall not cut off from Mine altar, shall be 
to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart; and all 
the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their 
age. And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come 
upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day 
they shall die both of them. And I will raise Me up a 
faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in 
Mine heart and in My mind. . . . And it shall come 
to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come 
and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of 
bread." Verses 30, 31, 33-36. "And the child Samuel 
ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the 
Lord was precious in those days ; there was no open vision." 
In these scriptures we again have the truth plainly revealed 
that God will not regard iniquity, but in every instance will 
surely punish the transgressor, and also that as iniquity 
abounds the Lord withdraws His Spirit from His prophets. 
Hence at this time there was no open vision. 



Samuel. 17] 

At this time Samuel was a mere lad, being trained in the 
priests' office. The Lord appears to him, and speaks his 
name, Samuel, as he is lying in his bed. The boy, sup- 
posing that Eli was calling him, arose and inquired of him 
what he wanted. Eli said he had not called him, and told 
him to lie down. This was done three times. Each time 
the boy answered to the call. Eli now perceiving that it 
was the voice of God calling to Samuel, instructed him to 
answer when he heard the voice again, for it was the Lord 
speaking to him. "And the Lord came, and stood, and 
called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel 
answered, Speak; for Thy servant heareth. And the Lord 
said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which 
both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In 
that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have 
spoken concerning his house ; when I begin, I will also make 
an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house 
forever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his 
sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. 
And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the 
iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice 
nor offering forever." 1 Sam. 3:10-14. Now Samuel did 
not want to tell Eli what the Lord had told him, but Eli 
said to the boy : "God do so to thee, and more also, if thou 
hide anything from me of all the things that He said unto 
thee. And Samuel told him every whit." Eli answered 
and said, "It is the Lord; let Him do what seemeth Him 
good." "And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew 
that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord." 

This condition of affairs, as we have previously learned, 
would naturally bring the judgments of God. So we read 
that Israel was again engaged in a war with the Philistines. 
The first fight resulted in the slaying of about four thousand 
of the children of Israel. In the second battle "there fell 
of Israel thirty thousand footmen. . . . And the two 



1^2 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain." i Sam. 
4:10, 11. The ark of God was also taken by the Philistines. 
The messengers ran to inform Eli of the death of his two 
sons and the capture of the ark. When Eli heard the 
report, "he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the 
gate, and his neck brake, and he died; for he was an old 
man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years." 
Verse 18. This shows how accurate God is in carrying 
out the punishment laid down in the law of blessings and 
cursings which He had given to His servant Moses. These 
things were only a sign which was to follow Israel through- 
out their history. 

The ark became a burdensome thing to the Philistines. 
They put it into the house with their god Dagon, but, on 
returning to the house, they found their god overturned. 
They set him up again, but, on coming back, they again 
found him overturned and his head broken off. Next the 
men were smitten with disease, and many of them died. On 
another occasion they opened the ark and looked into it, and 
fifty thousand of them were slain. By this time they were 
glad to return it to the camp of Israel. And they "brought 
it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified 
Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the Lord." It remained 
there for twenty years. 

"And all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. 
And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If 
ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put 
away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, 
and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only ; 
and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines." 
1 Sam. 7 :2, 3. Israel now related themselves to the Lord 
in such a manner that He could work for them; conse- 
quently a change comes over the scene. "And as Samuel 
was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew 
near to battle against Israel; but the Lord thundered with 



Samuel. 1 7 3 

a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and dis- 
comfited them; and they were smitten before Israel." "So 
the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into 
the coast of Israel ; and the hand of the Lord was against 
the Philistines all the days of Samuel." "And Samuel 
judged Israel all the days of his life." Chapter 8 tells of 
another change. "And it came to pass, when Samuel was 
old, that he made his sons judges over Israel." "And his 
sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, 
and took bribes, and perverted judgment." Verses 1, 3. 

We have now traced the history of the children of Israel 
upward of four hundred years, from the time they left 
Egypt. We would call the attention of the reader to one 
point especially in this history, viz., God has never sanc- 
tioned sin, either in His people or in their leaders, but in 
every transgression the judgments of God have fallen upon 
the transgressor. The ark of God and the prophets have 
also been the two important factors in their history. The 
law of blessings and cursings, which was first written by 
Moses in a book and placed in the side of the ark, that it 
might be there as a witness to Israel that these judgments 
would ever follow them, was afterward written upon stones 
on Mt. Ebal. They were written upon stone, showing their 
durability, also showing that that law would continue paral- 
lel with the law of ten commandments through their entire 
history in this world. We have now seen how carefully it 
was carried out for over four hundred years. 

TO THE READER. 

Knowing the reluctance with which the Bible history 
of the various rulers of Israel is read, we would speak 
a word of courage to the reader before he begins the task. 
The Lord in His wisdom had every word of this history 
written, and it was not written to benefit the ones about 
whom it was spoken, for they were nearly all dead when this 



1/4 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

was given. So there must be lessons for us in it ; and when 
we once see the lesson for us, our interest is quickened, and 
the dullness passes away. This history is all written for us 
who are alive in this day and age of the world, and if we 
understand the situation in times past, we will understand 
the things of to-day. 

There is a principle involved in the record of the life of 
every ruler, which still exists, and it requires a record of 
them all to show the principle, or the great God would not 
have had them all recorded. God writes nothing for pas- 
time, neither for money. It is all for our good. All we 
need is to see the lesson in it for us. 

Examples in mathematics are not hard when the rules 
governing them are well fixed in the mind. So God lays 
down in the history of the theocracy certain principles. 
When the reader becomes well acquainted with these prin- 
ciples, other lessons will be comparatively easy. So in the 
first part of this the reader may not be so forcibly impressed 
in reading the history of Israel. But we will promise that, 
if he will be careful to understand the first part pertaining 
to the principle found, the latter part of the book will 
increase with interest till the close. It is a connected and 
continuous story, based upon God's scientific principles, all 
in harmony, and applying to us now, to-day, as well as then. 
So do not get weary in the first part. 







SAMUEL BLESSING SAUL, 




CHAPTER IX. 



A KING. 

Israel now desire a king, that they might have a form 
of government more like other nations. The Lord informs 
them that it would not be for their good. "Nevertheless 
the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they 
said, Nay ; but we will have a king over us ; that we also 
may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge 
us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. And Samuel 
heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them 
in the ears of the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, 
Harken unto their voice, and make them a king." But 
let the reader bear in mind the fact that, while this request 
is granted, the king is placed subject to the prophet, and 
the same laws still govern and the same judgments still 
follow Israel in their experience. 

The Lord appeared to Samuel in vision, and gave him 
instruction concerning the anointing of a young man called 
Saul, of the tribe of Benjamin, the son of Kish. "And 
they ran and fetched him thence ; and when he stood among 
the people, he was higher than any of the people from 
his shoulders and upward. . . . And all the people 
shouted, and said, God save the king. Then Samuel told 

12 177 



1 78 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a 
book, and laid it up before the Lord." 1 Sam. 10:23-25. 

The people had now gotten just such a looking man as 
they desired. Saul was of tall stature and of beautiful 
appearance, and was such as would attract the attention 
of those who put their dependence upon man. 

"And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hark- 
ened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have 
made a king over you. And now, behold, the king walketh 
before you; and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, 
my sons are with you ; and I have walked before you from 
my childhood unto this day. Behold, here I am; witness 
against me before the Lord, and before His anointed; whose 
ox have I taken ? or whose ass have I taken ? or whom have 
I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand 
have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and 
I will restore it you. And they said, Thou hast not 
defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken 
aught of any man's hand. And he said unto them, The 
Lord is witness against you, and His anointed is wit- 
ness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. 
And they answered, He is witness." 1 Sam. 12:1-5. 
Samuel now reasoned with Israel thus : "It is the Lord 
that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your 
fathers up out of the land of Egypt." "And when they 
forgat the Lord their God, He sold them into the hand of 
Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of 
the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and 
they fought against them." "And when ye saw that 
Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against 
you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us; 
when the Lord your God was your King." Verses 6, 9, 
12. The people then saw their mistake, and "all the people 
greatly feared the Lord and Samuel." 

"And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy serv- 






A King. 17 Q 

ants unto the Lord thy God, that we die not; for we have 
added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king." Sam- 
uel then answered them : "God forbid that I should sin 
against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you ; but I will teach 
you the good and the right way; only fear the Lord, and 
serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider how 
great things He hath done for you. But if ye shall still do 
wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king." 
Verses 23-25. In chapter 13 we continue to read (verse 
5 and following) : "And the Philistines gathered themselves 
together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and 
six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on 
the seashore in multitude ; and they came up, and pitched in 
Michmash, eastward from Beth-aven. When the men of 
Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were 
distressed), then the people did hide themselves in caves, and 
in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits." 
Saul was now king. "And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt- 
offering to me, and peace-offerings. And he offered the 
burnt-offering. And it came to pass, that as soon as he 
had made an end of offering the burnt-offering, behold, 
Samuel came ; and Saul went out to meet him, that he 
might salute him. And Samuel said, What hast thou done ? 
And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scat- 
tered from me, and that thou earnest not within the days 
appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves 
together at Michmash ; . . . I forced myself therefore, 
and offered a burnt-offering. And Samuel said to Saul, 
Thou hast done foolishly ; thou hast not kept the command- 
ment of the Lord thy God, which He commanded thee; 
for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon 
Israel forever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue; 
the Lord hath sought Him a man after His own heart, and 
the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over His peo- 
ple, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord com- 



180 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

manded thee." Although Saul was anointed king, he was 
not endued with power to fill the office of either priest or 
prophet. This shows that the king was subject to those 
holding either of these offices, and was not above them. 

The armies of the Philistines and Israel were now gath- 
ered, and Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man 
that bare his armor : "Come, and let us go over unto the 
garrison of these uncircumcised ; it may be that the Lord 
will work for us ; for there is no restraint to the Lord to 
save by many or by few. And his armor-bearer said unto 
him, Do all that is in thine heart; turn thee; behold, I am 
with thee according to thy heart." "And Jonathan said 
unto his armor-bearer, Come up after me ; for the Lord hath 
delivered them into the hand of Israel. And Jonathan 
climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor- 
bearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan; and his 
armor-bearer slew after him. And that first slaughter, 
which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made, was about 
twenty men, within as it were a half acre of land. . . . 
And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among 
all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also 
trembled, and the earth quaked; so it was a very great 
trembling. And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Ben- 
jamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and 
they went on beating down one another." Saul was now 
interested to know who was doing this great work. "And 
when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor- 
bearer were not there." "And it came to pass, while Saul 
talked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host 
of the Philistines went on and increased; and Saul said 
unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand. And Saul and all 
the people that were with him assembled themselves, and 
they came to the battle ; and, behold, every man's sword was 
against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture." 
"And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days 



A Kin 



£> 



of Saul ; and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant 
man, he took him unto him." 

The nation of the Amalekites had greatly distressed 
Israel when they left Egypt. As they passed through their 
country, they fell upon the old men, women, and children, 
and those who could not help themselves, and slew them. 
The Lord then said that that nation should be banished 
from the earth, because of the course they then took. Time 
passed on, but finally the hour of retribution was reached. 
The Lord now gives Saul instruction to inflict the pun- 
ishment due that nation. We find the details in I Sam. 
15:3, and following: "Now go and smite Amalek, and 
utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but 
slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and 
sheep, camel and ass." "And Saul said unto the Kenites, 
Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites, lest 
I destroy you with them; for ye shewed kindness to all 
the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt. 
So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. And 
Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest 
to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag 
the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all 
the people with the edge of the sword." 

But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the 
flocks and herds, alive. But everything that was vile and 
refuse they destroyed.. This was not according to the 
instruction the Lord had given him. He was to "utterly 
destroy all that they have." The Lord now sent Samuel 
to Saul to inquire why Saul had not obeyed the voice of 
the Lord. Saul ran to meet Samuel, and said, I have kept 
the commandment of the Lord. "And Samuel said, What 
meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the 
lowing of the oxen which I hear? And Saul said, They 
have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people 
spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice 



1 82 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly de- 
stroyed." "And Samuel said, When thou wast little 
in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of 
the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over 
Israel?" "Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice 
of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the 
sight of the Lord? And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I 
have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way 
which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king 
of Ainalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But 
the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the 
things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice 
unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Hath 
the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, 
as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is 
better than sacrifice, and to harken than the fat of rams. 
For rebellion is as the sin of withcraft, and stubbornness 
is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the 
word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being 
king. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned ; for I 
have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy 
words ; because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. 
Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again 
with me, that I may worship the Lord. And Samuel said 
unto Saul, I will not return with thee ; for thou hast rejected 
the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from 
being king over Israel." 

Saul continued to plead with Samuel, but to no avail. 
Samuel then instructed them to bring Agag to him. "And 
Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so 
shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel 
hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal." "And 
Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death ; 
nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul ; and the Lord 
repented that He had made Saul king over Israel." 



| (, Tn him (the Word) was life, and the life was 
I* the light of men. "Join,!.-*. 




CHAPTER X. 



DAVID ANOINTED KING. 



"And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou 
mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning 
over Israel ? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee 
to Jesse the Beth-lehemite ; for I have provided Me a king 
among his sons." Samuel feared Saul in this undertaking, 
but the Lord assured him that he would be protected. And 
so he went to the house of Jesse. "And it came to pass, 
when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, 
Surely the Lord's anointed is before Him. But the Lord 
said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the 
height of his stature; because I have refused him; for the 
Lord seeth not as man seeth ; for man looketh on the out- 
ward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." Jesse 
now caused seven of his sons to pass in order before Sam- 
uel, but Samuel failed to see the one whom the Lord had 
shown him, and he inquired of Jesse, Have you no other 
sons ? And Jesse answered : "There remaineth yet the 
youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel 
said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit 
down till he come hither. And he sent, and brought him 
in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful coun- 
tenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, 

183 



184 TJie Inspired History of the Nations. 

anoint him; for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn 
of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren; and 
the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day for- 
ward. . . . But the Spirit of the Lord departed from 
Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him." 

David was a descendant of Ruth and Boaz. This 
couple were the great-grandfather and grandmother of 
David. Their history is told in the book of Ruth. Elim- 
elich and Naomi, his wife, left Canaan on account of a 
famine in the land. Israel was at this time so backslidden 
that famine was in the land as' a judgment from the Lord. 
Elimelich and his wife Naomi left Canaan for Moab. As 
a result of this removal, their two sons married Moabitish 
women. Naomi's husband died, also his two sons. This 
left the women alone. On learning of prosperity having 
returned to Israel, the mother decided to return to her 
home. The two daughters-in-law, Orpha and Ruth, de- 
cided to return with her. But she, knowing they were 
not of the same nation, requested them not to go, but to 
return to their own people and to their own religion. 
Orpha decided to do so, but Ruth could not bear to leave 
her mother. She had learned to love her mother, although 
of another nation, also to reverence God. She said to 
Naomi : " Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from fol- 
lowing after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and 
where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my 
people, and thy God my God ; where thou diest, will I die, 
and there will I be buried ; the Lord do so to me, and more 
also, if ought but death part thee and me. When she saw 
that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she 
left speaking unto her." Ruth 1 : 16-18. This reveals the 
faithfulness of this woman to principle. 

Boaz, who subsequently married Ruth, was a man of 
true moral worth, as revealed in the book of Ruth. While 
Ruth was a Moabitish woman, she was thoroughly con- 




RUTH AND BOAZ. 



David Anointed King. 187 

verted to God. It was from these faithful persons that 
David descended ; hence we would expect him to be a man 
of great integrity and of good principle. 

The book of Ruth is one of special interest to the reader, 
but space forbids further quotations from it at this point. 

Eight years more passed before Saul was slain in battle 
with the Philistines, and David received the kingdom. This 
period of eight years, recorded in 1 Samuel, from the six- 
teenth to the thirty-first chapters, is most interesting to the 
Bible student, as it reveals the human character as no other 
scripture. Every Christian should be well acquainted with 
the history of this man David, whom the Lord now chooses 
to stand as head over His people. It also reveals the fact 
that disobedience, as manifested by Saul, is sure to lead 
to utter ruin. Saul from this time on was envious of David, 
or at least from the time he found that David had been 
anointed king. After David's anointing by Samuel, he 
returned home to feed his father's sheep, and awaited God's 
providence to give him the promised kingdom. And in 
all the eight years, during which Saul was envious and 
almost constantly seeking his life, David never once sought 
the office. His story of slaying Goliath is most interesting. 
This man had defied all Israel. David visited his brethren 
in the army, and heard Goliath's boastful defyings of the 
host of Israel. "And David spake to the men that stood by 
him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this 
Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for 
who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy 
the armies of the living God?" His brethren standing by, 
supposing that David wanted to exalt himself, remarked: 
"Why earnest thou down hither ? and with whom hast thou 
left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, 
and the naughtiness of thine heart ; for thou art come down 
that thou mightest see the battle. And David said, What 
have I now done? Is there not a cause?" 



1 88 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

David was now taken before Saul. "And Saul said 
to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to 
fight with him; for thou art but a youth." David pressed 
the matter by relating to Saul how, when keeping the sheep, 
he had met a lion and a bear, and told how he slew both 
the lion and the bear ; and then continues a lesson of faith, 
that God, who had delivered him out of the power of the 
lion and the bear surely would deliver him from the hand 
of Goliath. Saul consented to let him try it. "And Saul 
armed David with his armor, and he put a helmet of brass 
upon his head ; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And 
David girded his sword upon his armor, and he assayed to 
go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, 
I can not go with these ; for I have not proved them. And 
David put them off him." This was a new experience to 
the lad. He was unacquainted with this mode of warfare. 
He then took his staff in his hand, "and chose him five 
smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shep- 
herd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was 
in his hand." When the Philistine saw him, he disdained 
him. "Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to 
me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield; but 
I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God 
of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied." "And 
all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with 
sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will 
give you into our hands. . . . David hasted, and ran 
toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put 
his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, 
and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk 
into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth." 
"And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it 
to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent." 

Saul watched this scene, and he inquired of his chief 
captain, "Whose son is this youth?" "And Saul said to 




SAUL ATTEMPTING DAVID'S LIFE. 



David Anointed King, 



a 



him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David 
answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Beth- 
lehemite. And it came to pass, when he had made an end 
of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit 
with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own 
soul." From that day forward Jonathan, the son of Saul, 
and David were inseparable friends. 

The fame of this act of David, which resulted in the 
defeat of the Philistines, was sounded abroad everywhere. 
And it was a saying among the women, "Saul hath slain his 
thousands, and David his ten thousands." From this time 
forward Saul sought David's life. Previous to this Saul 
had taken him to be his private musician, and when David 
played with his hand, as at other times, "there was a javelin 
in Saul's hand. And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I 
will smite David even to the wall with it. And David 
avoided out of his presence twice." "And David behaved 
himself wisely in all his ways ; and the Lord was with him." 
"All Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and 
came in before them." 

Saul now undertakes another plan. He next offers David 
his daughter to wife, on condition that he will slay one hun- 
dred of the Philistines. David refused the offer of Saul's 
daughter, and as an excuse said he was a poor man and 
lightly esteemed. But being persuaded, he doubly accom- 
plished the task, by slaying two hundred. Next Saul asked 
Jonathan and all his servants to slay David. But Jonathan 
pleaded for him. Again he attempted to smite him with his 
javelin. He also sent messengers to David's house to watch 
for him, and at last David fled, and came to Samuel at 
Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And 
he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth. And when Saul 
heard it, he sent messengers to take him. The Spirit of the 
Lord fell on these messengers, and they could do nothing 
but prophesy. And Saul sent other messengers, and the 



192 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

Spirit fell on them, and they prophesied likewise ; and when 
they sent a third company, they had a similar experience. 
Then Saul himself went, and the Spirit came on him, and 
the saying went abroad, "Is Saul also among the prophets? 
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and 
said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine 
iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he 
seeketh my life?" "Truly as the Lord liveth, and as thy 
soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death." 

Jonathan now interceded for David, and assisted him in 
escaping for his life. As a result of this, Saul cast a javelin 
at Jonathan, to smite him, "whereby Jonathan knew that 
it was determined of his father to slay David." Jonathan 
and David, in their last meeting, "kissed one another, and 
wept one with another, until David exceeded. And Jona- 
than said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have 
sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying. The 
Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and 
thy seed forever. . And he arose and departed ; and Jon- 
athan went into the city." Then David, after sundry wan- 
derings and checkered experiences, came into the wilderness 
of Ziph. "And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to 
David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. 
And he said unto him, Fear not; for the hand of Saul my 
father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over 
Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul 
my father knoweth." 

Saul was informed of David's hiding-place, and pursued 
him. He took three hundred chosen men of all Israel, and 
went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild 
goats. David was hiding in a cave, but Saul knew it not, 
and went into the cave. David's servants wanted to slay 
Saul, but he would not suffer them. After Saul had gone 
out of the cave, David went after him and cried, saying, 
"My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, 







DAVID AND JONATHAN. 



David Anointed King. 195 

David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed him- 
self." And, holding up a piece of Saul's robe which he 
had cut off his mantle whilst in the cave, he convinced Saul 
that he neither had evil in his heart nor any desire to do 
him wrong. "The Lord judge between me and thee, and 
the Lord avenge me of thee." "After whom is the king 
of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after 
a dead dog, after a flea." This touched Saul's heart, and 
he lifted up his voice and wept, and said unto David, "Thou 
art more righteous than I ; for thou hast rewarded me 
good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil." "And Saul 
went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the 
hold. And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gath- 
ered together, and lamented him, and buried him in his 
house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the 
wilderness of Paran." 

Saul again sought David. Although he had made a 
covenant with him of peace, yet the root of bitterness was 
in his heart. "David therefore sent out spies, and under- 
stood that Saul was come in very deed." 1 Sam. 26 14. 
While Saul and his company were camped, David and one 
of his men went by night into the midst of the camp, and 
found Saul sleeping in the midst of his men. And they took 
his spear, which was by his head, and carried it away. But 
the man that went with David requested, while they were 
there, that he might smite Saul. But David answered : 
"Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, 
and be guiltless? David said furthermore, As the Lord 
liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to 
die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. The Lord 
forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the 
Lord's anointed." But they took Saul's spear, and carried 
it away. And in the morning David called to them, and 
showed them what they had in their possession. Saul 
again repented, and told David to return, and that he would 



196 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

do him no harm. "Because my soul was precious in thine 
eyes this day ; behold, I have played the fool, and have erred 
exceedingly." "Blessed be thou, my son David ; thou shalt 
both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David 
went on his way, and Saul returned to his place. And 
David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the 
hand of Saul; there is nothing better for me than that I 
should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and 
Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast 
of Israel; so shall I escape out of his hand. And David 
arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that 
were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of 
Gath." "And it was told Saul that David was fled to 
Gath; and he sought no more again for him." "Then 
Achish gave him Ziklag that day; wherefore Zizlag per- 
taineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. And the 
time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was 
a full year and four months." 

The Lord had utterly forsaken Saul, and war again 
broke out with the Philistines. He went to the witch of 
Endor for information. She claimed to have communica- 
tion with the dead, which would now be termed Spiritual- 
ism. He inquired of her concerning the war between Israel 
and the Philistines. In response to this woman's call, 
one appeared in the guise of an old man, professing to be 
Samuel, who related to Saul his experience in regard to 
how the Lord had rejected him, and the kingdom had 
been taken away from him, and said, "Moreover the Lord 
will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philis- 
tines; and to-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me; 
the Lord also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand 
of the Philistines." 1 Sam. 28:19. This information pur- 
ported to come from Samuel, who had died, but it was really 
from Satan. However, on the third day after Saul was 
slain the prediction was fulfilled. "Now the Philistines 



David Anointed King. 1 97 

fought against Israel ; and the men of Israel fled from before 
the Philistines, and fell down slain in Mount Gilboa. And 
the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons ; 
and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and 
Melchi-shua, Saul's sons. And the battle went sore against 
Saul, and the archers hit him ; and he was sore wounded 
of the archers." Saul now takes his own sword and falls 
upon it, and so finishes the work. "And when his armor- 
bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his 
sword, and died with him.'' David, on hearing of the 
death of Saul, lamented greatly for Saul and Jonathan. 
"The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places ; how 
are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not 
in the streets of Askelon ; lest the daughters of the Philis- 
tines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised tri- 
umph. Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither 
let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings; for there 
the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of 
Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil." "Saul 
and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and 
in their death they were not divided ; they were swifter than 
eagles, they were stronger than lions. Ye daughters of 
Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with 
other delights; who put on ornaments of gold upon your 
apparel. How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the 
battle ! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. 
I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan ; very pleasant 
hast thou been unto me; thy love to me was wonderful, 
passing the love of women. How are the mighty fallen, 
and the weapons of war perished!" This shows what the 
grace of God can do for human beings. The office which 
Saul held, as the king of Israel, was very sacred to this 
young man David. His respect for it surpassed everything 
else, and nothing could destroy his love for Jonathan and his 
father Saul. In all this experience not a murmur came 



198 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

from David's lips. His unbounded faith in God taught him 
that time would work all things together for good, and so 
he patiently waited that time. 

The course Saul had taken brought the trouble upon his 
own head, and there was no one to blame but himself. 
"And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the 
Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? 
And the Lord said unto him, Go up. And David said, 
Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron." 
David would not make a move toward the kingdom until 
God had told him to do so. He now goes up to Hebron. 
"And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed 
David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, 
saying, That the men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried 
Saul. And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh- 
gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that 
ye have showed this kindness unto your lord, even unto 
Saul, and have buried him. And now the Lord show kind- 
ness and truth unto you." "And the time that David was 
king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and 
six months." 

The descendants of Saul reigned over Israel during this 
time. "Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto 
Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and 
thy flesh. Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, 
thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel ; and 
the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed My people Israel, 
and thou shalt be a captain over Israel. So all the elders 
of Israel came to the king to Hebron ; and king David made 
a league with them in Hebron before the Lord; and they 
anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years 
old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years." 
"And David went on, and grew great, and the Lord God 
of hosts was with him." 

But "Saul died for his transgression which he com- 



David Anointed King. 199 

mitted against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, 
which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that 
had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; and inquired not of 
the Lord; therefore He slew him, and turned the kingdom 
unto David the son of Jesse." 1 Chron. 10:13, 14. 

"But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed 
David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek 
David ; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold. 
The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the val- 
ley of Rephaim." 2 Sam. 5:17, 18. David now inquired 
of the Lord concerning the move that he should make. The 
Lord told him the course to pursue, and gave him a sign : 
"When thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of 
the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for 
then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of 
the Philistines. And David did so, as the Lord had com- 
manded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until 
thou come to Gazer." Verses 24, 25. 

The next move David made was to restore the ark to 
its proper place in Jerusalem. The necessary preparations 
were made, and it was brought back with great pomp and 
rejoicing by Israel. Nathan was the prophet of Israel at 
this time; and it came into David's heart to build a temple 
for the Lord, but the Lord spake through Nathan, and told 
David that, as he was a man of war, and had shed blood, 
he should not build the house, but that his son, who should 
sit on his throne, was to build the house for His name. 

David's reign was most prosperous. "And the Lord 
preserved David whithersoever he went." 2 Sam. 8:6, 14. 
But a change came into his experience. Nineteen years 
of his reign had passed. The Lord had said prior to this 
that he was a man after His own heart. But the weakness 
of human nature was now manifested in the wicked act 
which he committed, as recorded in the eleventh chapter of 
2 Samuel, in causing Uriah to be killed, in order that he 



200 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

might take his wife. This proved to be a sad experience 
for the king of Israel. But it reveals the fact that God is 
no respecter of persons. After he had committed this ter- 
rible crime, the Lord sent to him His prophet, and informed 
him, saying : "Now therefore the sword shall never depart 
from thine house; because thou hast despised Me, and hast 
taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus 
saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out 
of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine 
eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie 
with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it 
secretly ; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before 
the sun. And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned 
against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The 
Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die." 
David was a man that knew what was right. His sin 
opened up before his face, and he exclaimed : "Have mercy 
upon me, O God, according to Thy loving-kindness ; accord- 
ing unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my 
transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, 
and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my trans- 
gressions ; and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee, 
Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight; 
that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and 
be clear when Thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in 
iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, 
Thou desirest truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden 
part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me 
with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be 
whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness ; 
that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide 
Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 
Create in me a clean heart, O God ; and renew a right spirit 
within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence; and 
take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the 



David Anointed King. 201 



joy of Thy salvation ; and uphold me with Thy free Spirit. 
Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways ; and sinners 
shall be converted unto Thee. Deliver me from blood- 
guiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; and my 
tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness. O Lord, 
open Thou my lips ; and my mouth shall show forth Thy 
praise. For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give 
it; Thou delightest not in burnt-offering. The sacrifices 
of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, 
O God, Thou wilt not despise." Psalm 51. 

Here is the most remarkable case of repentance ever 
recorded by inspiration. It shows that the man realized to 
the fullest extent the terribleness of his crime. But the 
Lord has said, "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall 
be as white as snow ; though they be red like crimson, they 
shall be as wool." Isa. 1 :i8. David was forgiven his 
terrible crime, but the judgment pronounced against him 
and his house in this life was never removed. And from 
this day forward David's life was anything but pleasant. 
The trouble was to come from his own family, and in his 
own personal experience. 

The first trouble recorded was with his own son and 
daughter, Amnion and Tamar. Out of this difficulty grew T 
the slaying of Amnion by his brother Absalom. This 
resulted in Absalom's banishment, which increased the 
trouble; for "in all Israel there was none to be so much 
praised as Absalom for his beauty ; from the sole of his foot 
even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him." 
After a time he was permitted to return to Jerusalem, but 
he "dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the 
king's face." At the end of this period he was permitted 
to see David, and reconciliation was effected. 

But Absalom, on being restored to favor, began a con- 
spiracy against David for the kingdom, and, by making 
friends with the people, he succeeded in raising an insur- 



202 The Inspired History of the Nations, 

rection against the king. And David, seeing the danger 
in which he was placed, "said unto all his servants that were 
with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall 
not else escape from Absalom; make speed to depart, lest 
he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite 
the city with the edge of the sword." "And the king went 
forth, and all his household after him." "And all the 
country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed 
over; the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, 
and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wil- 
derness." "And David went up by the ascent of Mount 
Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, 
and he went barefoot ; and all the people that was with him 
covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as 
they went up." "And when king David came to Bahurim, 
behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house 
of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera ; he came 
forth, and cursed still as he came. And he cast stones at 
David, and at all the servants of king David ; and all the 
people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and 
on his left. And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come 
out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial; 
the Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house 
of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the Lord 
hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy 
son; and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because 
thou art a bloody man. Then said Abishai the son of 
Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead clog curse my 
lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his 
head. And the king said, ... So let him curse, 
because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who 
shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? And David 
said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, 
which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life; how much 
more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let 



David Anointed King. 203 

him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him. It may be that 
the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that the Lord will 
requite me good for his cursing this day. And as David 
and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the 
hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and 
threw stones at him, and cast dust." 

Counsel was now taken by Absalom in regard to what 
course to pursue. Also David laid plans to meet the situa- 
tion. The decisive battle was soon to be fought. The 
friends of David would not submit to have him go into the 
battle. "And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and 
Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, 
even with Absalom." 2 Sam. 18:5. A great slaughter 
followed, and twenty thousand of Israel were slain by the 
servants of David. Absalom was caught by the hair of the 
head as he was riding his beast under the boughs of a tree, 
and he was left hanging between the heavens and the earth. 
And Joab took three darts in his hand, and thrust them 
through the heart of Absalom. On hearing the report, the 
king's anxiety was for the safety of Absalom. And when 
he heard that he was killed, he mourned greatly, saying, 
"O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom ! would God 
I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son !" 

The way was now open for the king to return to Jeru- 
salem. "So the king returned, and came to Jordan. 
. . . And Shimei the son of Gera [the one who cursed 
David], . . . hasted and came down with the men 
of Judah to meet king David" and "fell down before the 
king, as he was come over Jordan ; and said unto the king, 
Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou 
remember that which thy servant did perversely the day 
that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king 
should take it to his heart. For thy servant doth know that 
I have sinned. . . . But Abishai . . . said, Shall 
not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the 



204 Th e Inspired History of the Nations. 

Lord's anointed?" But the king refused to listen to his 
urgent counsel, and said to Shimei : "Thou shalt not die. 
And the king sware unto him." There was no spirit of 
revenge in David. But this was not the end of David's 
troubles. They were to continue till the day of his death, 
because of the great transgression which he had committed. 

There was another insurrection raised by a man whose 
name was Sheba. "He blew a trumpt, and said. We have 
no part in David." "And David said to Abishai, Now 
shall Sheba ... do us more harm than did Absalom ; 
take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him." He 
was followed, captured, and beheaded. 

God is an avenger of wrongs, and, in reading the his- 
tory here carefully, we find that God is never forgetful of 
these wrongs, but sooner or later recompense will be 
required in this life, to say nothing of the final punishment, 
when the wicked of all the earth will meet their doom. 
Joab had charge over all the hosts of David's house, and 
in the pursuit of Sheba he played deception, and slew an 
innocent man, Amasa. Later on in the history we find that 
this wrong comes back upon Joab's own head. We also 
read in this connection of a wrong performed by Saul to 
the Gibeonites, for which wrong Israel must now pay the 
penalty. We call attention to these things, that the reader 
may see the object for which these lessons were written, 
and that we may better understand God's dealings with 
men. Famine, pestilence, and the sword are the curses 
God told Moses would ever follow His people as the result 
of an evil course. So we now read in 2 Sam. 21 :i, and 
following : "Then there was a famine in the days of David 
three years, year after year; and David inquired of the 
Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his 
bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites." "Where- 
fore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for 
you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye 



David Anointed King. 205 

may bless the inheritance of the Lord?" They answered 
and said : "We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, . . . 
[but] let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and 
we will hang them up unto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, 
whom the Lord did choose. And the king said, I will give 
them." This was performed, and after that God was 
intreated for the land. 

Following this event there was a war with the Philis- 
tines, and they were subdued ; and David composed the fol- 
lowing hymn : "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and 
my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; 
my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high 
tower." "The sorrows of death compassed me, and the 
floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of 
hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented 
me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto 
my God; He heard my voice out of His temple, and my 
cry came before Him, even into His ears." "Therefore 
will I give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, among the heathen, 
and sing praises unto Thy name." Part of Psalm 18. 

David's trouble lasted to the very close of his pilgrim- 
age. "Now king David was old and stricken in years." 
"Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, say- 
ing, I will be king ; and he prepared him chariots and horse- 
men, and fifty men to run before him." "And he conferred 
with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest ; 
and they following Adonijah helped him. But Zadok the 
priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the 
prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which 
belonged to David, were not with Adonijah." 

Solomon was the son of Bath-sheba. And Nathan the 
prophet informed her what Adonijah was doing, and she 
informed David. "Then king David answered and said, 
Call me Bath-sheba. And she came into the king's pres- 
ence, and stood before the king. And the king sware, and 



206 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

said, As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of 
all distress, even as I sware unto thee by the Lord God of 
Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after 
me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so 
will I certainly do this day." David instructed them to 
place Solomon on his own mule, and bring him down to 
Gihon, and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet 
anoint him there king over Israel; "and blow ye with the 
trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon." 

Thus his trouble continues to the very last days of his 
life. "Now the days of David drew nigh that he should 
die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, I go the way 
of all the earth ; be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself 
a man; and keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk 
in His ways, to keep His statutes, and His commandments, 
and His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written 
in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that 
thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself." 
"Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah 
did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts 
of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the 
son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war 
in peace, and. put the blood of war upon his girdle that was 
about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet. Do 
therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar 
head go down to the grave in peace. But show kindness 
unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of 
those that eat at thy table; for so they came to me when 
I fled because of Absalom, thy brother. And, behold, thou 
hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, . . . which 
cursed me with a grievous curse. . . . Now therefore 
hold him not guiltless ; for thou art a wise man, and know- 
est what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head 
bring thou down to the grave with blood. So David slept 
with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David." 
I Kings 2. 




CHAPTER XI. 



SOLOMON. 



The instructions here given were carried out, and the 
men mentioned for retribution, having themselves engaged 
in actions worthy of punishment, hastened their execution, 
and ended their career. 

"In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream 
by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And 
Solomon said, Thou hast showed unto thy servant David 
my father great mercy, according as he walked before Thee 
in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart 
with Thee ; and Thou hast kept for him this great kindness, 
that Thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is 
this day. And now, O Lord my God, Thou hast made Thy 
servant king instead of David my father; and I am but a 
little child; I know not how to go out or come in. And 
Thy servant is in the midst of Thy people which Thou hast 
chosen, a great people, that can not be numbered nor 
counted for multitude. Give therefore Thy servant an 
understanding heart to judge Thy people, that I may dis- 
cern between good and bad ; for who is able to judge this 
Thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, 

207 



208 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto 
him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked 
for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, 
nor hast asked the life of thine enemies ; but hast asked for 
thyself understanding to discern judgment; . . . lo, 
I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so 
that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee 
shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee 
that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honor; so 
that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee 
all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in My ways, to keep 
My statutes and My commandments, as thy father David 
did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. And Solomon 
awoke; and, behold, it was a dream." 

Solomon took the throne 1014 b. c, nearly five hundred 
years after the time that Moses left Egypt. "And Solo- 
mon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the 
east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was 
wiser than all men." 1 Kings 4:30, 31. 

He at once set about to build the temple of the Lord, 
which building was a marvel to the world. Solomon's 
prayer at the dedication expresses the situation and the 
needs of God's people, and evidences his deep sense of their 
dependence upon God, intreating that the blessings of 
heaven might be meted out to His children according to 
their actions here upon earth. It further shows that the 
curses pronounced by Moses will always follow disobedi- 
ence. We here quote some of the sentiments of this remark- 
able prayer: "If any man trespass against his neighbor, 
and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and 
the oath come before Thine altar in this house; then hear 
Thou in heaven, and do, and judge Thy servants, con- 
demning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and 
justifying the righteous, to give him according to his right- 
eousness. When Thy people Israel be smitten down before 




14 



WISDOM OF SOLOMON. 



Solomon. 211 

the enemy, because they have sinned against Thee, and 
shall turn again to Thee, and confess Thy name, and pray, 
and make supplication unto Thee in this house; then hear 
Thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of Thy people Israel, 
and bring them again unto the land which Thou gavest unto 
their fathers. When heaven is shut up, and there is no 
rain, because they have sinned against Thee; if they pray 
toward this place, and confess Thy name, and turn from 
their sin, when Thou afflictest them; then hear Thou in 
heaven, and forgive the sin of Thy servants, and of Thy 
people Israel, that Thou teach them the good way wherein 
they should walk, and give rain upon Thy land, which 
Thou hast given to Thy people for an inheritance. If 
there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, 
mildew, locust, or if there be a caterpillar; if their enemy 
besiege them in the land of their cities ; whatsoever plague, 
whatsoever sickness there be; what prayer and supplication 
soever be made by any man, or by all Thy people Israel, 
which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, 
and spread forth his hands toward this house; then hear 
Thou in heaven Thy dwelling-place, and forgive." "And 
it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying 
all this prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose 
from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his 
knees with his hands spread up to heaven. And he stood, 
and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, 
saying," "Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord 
our God, to walk in His statutes, and to keep His com- 
mandments, as' at this day." "And the Lord said unto 
him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou 
hast made before Me; I have hallowed this house, which 
thou hast built, to put My name there forever; and Mine 
eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually. And if 
Thou wilt walk before Me, as David thy father walked, in 
integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to 



212 The Inspired History of the. Nations. 

all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep My statutes 
and My judgments; then I will establish the throne of thy 
kingdom upon Israel forever, as I promised to David thy 
father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the 
throne of Israel. But if ye shall at all turn from follow- 
ing Me, ye or your children, and will not keep My com- 
mandments and My statutes which I have set before you, 
but go and serve other gods, and worship them ; then will 
I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them ; 
and this house, which I have hallowed for My name, will 
I cast out of My sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a 
byword among all people." I Kings 8:31-39, 54, 55, 61; 
9 \yy. This temple and Solomon's house were about 
twenty years in building, and, had not sin and transgression 
followed in the life and experience of God's people, that 
house would still be standing, and Israel be an independent 
nation, governed by the Lord, and thus they would have 
been a light to all the world. 

The fame of Solomon's wisdom went out throughout 
all the earth. Kings and queens came and sat at his feet to 
hear his gracious words. But Solomon, like the majority 
of rulers before him, was possessed of a weakness in his 
nature, which led him astray from God, and so a change 
came over his experience. The twenty-third year of his 
reign marked a fatal departure from God. "But king 
Solomon loved many strange women, together with the 
daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, 
Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites ; of the nations concern- 
ing which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye 
shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in to you ; 
for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods ; 
Solomon clave unto these in love." "For it came to pass, 
when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his 
heart after other gods ; and his heart was not perfect with 
the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. 



Solomon. 213 

For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zido- 
nians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammon- 
ites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord." 
"And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart 
was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had ap- 
peared unto him twice." 1 Kings 11 :i, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9. 

The Lord had expressly told Solomon that he should 
not go after other gods, but he kept not that which the 
Lord had commanded him. "Wherefore the Lord said 
unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou 
hast not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have 
commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, 
and will give it to thy servant." "Howbeit I will not rend 
away all the kingdom ; but will give one tribe to thy son for 
David My servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which 
T have chosen. And the Lord stirred up an adversary 
unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the king's 
seed in Edom." Verses 11, 13, 14. Joab had slain all the 
Edomites except Hadad, who, "being yet a little child," fled 
into Egypt. But after Joab was slain, then Hadad re- 
turned. "And God stirred Him up another adversary, 
Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hada- 
dezer king of Zobah ; and he gathered men unto him, and 
became captain over a band, when David slew them of 
Zobah ; and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and 
reigned in Damascus. And he was an adversary to Israel 
all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad 
did; and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria. And 
Jeroboam the son of Nebat, . . . even he lifted up his 
hand against the king." "And it came to pass at that time 
when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet 
Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had 
clad himself with a new garment ; and they two were alone 
in the field; and Ahijah caught the new garment that was 
on him, and rent it in twelve pieces ; and he said to Jero- 



214 Th e Inspired History of the Nations. 

boam, Take thee ten pieces; for thus saith the Lord, the 
God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the 
hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee (but he 
shall have one tribe for My servant David's sake, and for 
Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all 
the tribes of Israel)." "Howbeit I will not take the whole 
kingdom out of his hand; but I will make him prince all 
the days of his life for David My servant's sake, whom I 
chose, because he kept My commandments and My statutes ; 
but I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand," and will 
give it unto thee, even ten tribes. And unto his son will I 
give one tribe, that David My servant may have a light 
alway before Me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen 
Me to put My name there." "And it shall be, if thou wilt 
barken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in My 
ways, and do that is right in My sight, to keep My statutes 
and My commandments, as David My servant did ; that I 
will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built 
for David, and will give Israel unto thee. And I will for 
this afflict the seed of David, but not forever. Solomon 
sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, 
and fled into Egypt, . . . and was in Egypt until the 
death of Solomon." "And the time that Solomon reigned 
in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. . . . And 
Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead." Verses 23-26, 
29-32, 34-36, 38-40, 42, 43. 




CHAPTER XII, 



.ISRAEL DIVIDED. 



We now reach the period when Israel is permanently 
divided, over five hundred years after they left Egypt. Ten 
tribes now compose what is known as the kingdom of Israel, 
the other two the kingdom of Judah. The reader will see 
that this division was the result of sin. Rehoboam, Solo- 
mon's son, was so oppressive to Israel that the ten tribes 
revolted, and Jeroboam became their king. "So Israel 
rebelled against the house of David unto this day." 
i Kings 12:19. Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, was one of 
the most wicked rulers Israel ever had. "He made a house 
of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, 
which were not of the sons of Levi." Verse 31. He also 
made two calves of gold, like those which Israel had wor- 
shiped when they left Egypt, and set apart days of worship, 
"which he had devised of his own heart." Verse 33. The 
Lord sent a prophet to him, and warned him of the course 
he was pursuing; but he paid no heed to the admonition. 
"After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, 
but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the 
high places ; whosoever would, he consecrated him. . . . 
And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even 
to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the 
earth." The Lord visited him with sickness in his family, 
and explained the cause through his servant. The Lord 

215 



2i6 The hispired History of the Nations. 

"rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and 
gave it thee; and yet thou hast not been as My servant 
David;" "therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the 
house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam" all 
male issue, "and will take away the remnant of the house 
of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone. 
Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; 
and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air 
eat ; for the Lord hath spoken it." "For the Lord shall 
smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and He shall 
root up Israel out of this good land, which He gave to their 
fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because 
they have made their groves, provoking the Lord to anger." 
i Kings 14:8, 10, 11, 15. "And the days which Jeroboam 
reigned were two and twenty years; . . . and Nadab 
Ins son reigned in his stead. And Rehoboam the son of 
Solomon reigned in Judah. . . . He reigned seven- 
teen years in Jerusalem. . . . And Judah did evil in 
the sight of the Lord, and they provoked Him to jealousy 
with their sins which they had committed, above all that 
their fathers had done." Verses 20-22. 

Thus we see that both houses were at this time in a very 
wicked condition. And, according to the principle already 
laid down, we would naturally look for the judgments of 
God to follow close upon such reckless conduct. "And it 
came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shi- 
shak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem ; and he took 
away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treas- 
ures of the king's house ; he even took away all ; and he took 
away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made." 
"And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all 
their days." After a reign of seventeen years, Rehoboam, 
king of Judah, died, and Abijah, or Abijam, his son, 
reigned in his stead. He reigned three years in Jerusalem. 
"And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had 



Israel Divided. 217 

done before him." "And there was war between Abijam 
and Jeroboam." Abijam died, "and Asa his son reigned 
in his stead," who reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. 
"And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, 
as did David his father." Asa died, and was succeeded 
by Jehoshaphat, his son, who reigned in his stead. "And 
Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in 
the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over 
Israel two years. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, 
and walked in the way of his father." Baasha conspired 
against Nadab, slew him, and reigned in his stead. "And 
it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the 
house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that 
breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the 
saying of the Lord, which He spake by His servant Ahijah 
the Shilonite; because of the sins of Jeroboam which he 
sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation 
wherewith he provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger." 
"And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of 
Israel all their days." 

Baasha reigned four and twenty years over Israel. And 
he did evil in the sight of the Lord all his days, and walked 
in the way of Jeroboam. "Then the word of the Lord came 
to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, Foras- 
much as I exalted thee out of the dust, and made thee 
prince over My people Israel ; and thou hast walked in the 
way of Jeroboam, and hast made My people Israel to sin, 
to provoke Me to anger with their sins; behold, I will take 
away the posterity of Baasha, and the posterity of his house ; 
and will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the 
son of Nebat. Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall 
the dogs eat; and him that dieth of his in the fields shall 
the fowls of the air eat." Baasha died, "and Elah his son 
reigned in his stead." He reigned two years. His servant 
Zimri conspired against him, and while Elah was in Tirzah, 



2i8 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

in a state of intoxication, he went in and killed him, and 
reigned in his stead. "And it came to pass, when he began 
to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all 
the house of Baasha ; he left him not one, . . . neither 
of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends." i Kings 16 :n. This 
was done in accordance with the word of the Lord, which 
He had spoken against Baasha by Jehu the prophet. Zimri 
reigned seven days in Tirzah. 

All Israel, hearing of Zimri's course, chose Omri king 
in his place, and Omri went with all Israel and besieged 
Tirzah. And when Zimri saw that he was besieged, he 
"went in the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's 
house over him with fire, and died, for his sins which he 
sinned in doing evil in the sight of the Lord." Verses 18, 
19. Omri reigned twelve years over Israel, six of which 
he spent in Tirzah, as his capital. "And he bought the 
hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built 
on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, 
after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria." 
Verse 24. From this time on Samaria became the capital 
of Israel, whilst Jerusalem remained the capital of Judah. 
"But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did 
worse than all that were before him." Verse 25. Omri 
was buried in Samaria, and Ahab his son reigned in his 
stead for twenty-two years. "And Ahab the son of Omri 
did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before 
him. . . . He took to wife Jezebel the daughter of 
Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, 
and worshiped him." "And Ahab did more to provoke 
the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel 
that were before him." 

The reader will easily be able to see that we are now in 
the midst of a fearful apostasy from God, and that the Lord 
must do something to stay the terrible reign of iniquity. 
"And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of 



Israel Divided. 219 

Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, 
before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these 
years, but according to my word. And the word of the 
Lord came unto him, saying. Get thee hence, and turn thee 
eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is 
before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of 
the brook ; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee 
there." "And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in 
the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he 
drank of the brook." 1 Kings 17:1-4, 6. "And it came 
to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to 
Elijah in the third year, saying-, Go, show thyself unto 
Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. And Elijah 
went to show himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore 
famine in Samaria." During these three years Elijah was 
cared for, at first by the ravens, and later on by a poor 
widow at Zarephath. 

"And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all 
fountains of water, and unto all brooks ; peradventure we 
may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we 
lose not all the beasts. So they divided the land between 
them to pass throughout it ; Ahab went one way by himself, 
and Obadiah went another way by himself. And as Oba- 
diah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him ; and he knew 
him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord 
Elijah? And he answered him, I am; go, tell thy lord, 
Behold, Elijah is here." Obadiah informed Elijah that 
there was no nation or kingdom whither Ahab had not sent 
to seek and find him. Jezebel, Ahab's wife, had undertaken 
to slay all the prophets of the Lord, but Obadiah, being a 
God-fearing man, though over Ahab's house as governor, 
had hid fifty of them in a cave, and fed them with bread 
and water. But he was afraid to go and tell Ahab that 
he had met Elijah, for fear Elijah would disappear, and 
then Ahab would slay him. However, Elijah assured him 



220 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

that he would meet Ahab. "And it came to pass, when 
Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he 
that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not 
troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye 
have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou 
hast followed Baalim," 

Elijah further informed him that, if he would gather all 
the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, all those who ate at 
Jezebel's table, they would settle the question as to who was 
the true God, and what the real cause of the famine was. 
Ahab consented to the proposition, and gathered the 
prophets of Baal. "And Elijah came unto all the people, 
and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the 
Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him. 
. . . Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, 
remain a prophet of the Lord ; but Baal's prophets are four 
hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two 
bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, 
and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire 
under ; and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, 
and put no fire under ; and call ye on the name of your gods, 
and I will call on the name of the Lord ; and the God that 1 
answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people 
answered and said, It is well spoken." 

The prophets of Baal proceeded to carry out the propo- 
sition. The altar was made, the bullock was dressed and 
laid on the wood. And they called on the name of Baal 
from morning "until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But 
there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they 
leaped upon the altar," "and cut themselves after their man- 
ner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon 
them." They continued this until evening, but "there. was 
neither voice, nor any to answer." And Elijah mocked 
them, and said, "Cry aloud; for he is a god; either he is 
talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or per- 



Israel Divided. 22 1 

adventure he sleepeth, and must be awakened." But no 
voice was heard ; the effort was a total failure. 

Elijah's trial now comes. He builds an altar in the 
name of the Lord. He lays the wood in order, and cuts 
the bullock in pieces, and lays it on the wood. He now 
says, "Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt 
sacrifice, and on the wood." They did so, and he told them 
to do it the second time. And, as they had done as re- 
quested, he said, "Do it the third time." And they did so. 
The trenches around the altar were now filled; the wood 
was soaked. Twelve barrels of water had been poured 
upon it, "Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord 
God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this 
day that Thou art God in Israel, and that I am Thy serv- 
ant, and that I have done all these things at Thy word. 
Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that 
Thou art the Lord God, and that Thou hast turned their 
heart back again. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and con- 
sumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, 
and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the 
trench." The people were convinced. They took the four 
hundred and more prophets down to the brook Kishon, and 
Elijah slew them there. Turning to Ahab, he said, "Get 
thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance 
of rain." 

Elijah went up to Mount Carmel, and prostrated him- 
self before the Lord in prayer, but told his servant, "Go up 
now, look toward the sea," to discover if there be any 
sign of rain. He came back, saying that there was nothing. 
He thus sent him seven times. The last time he returned 
he told his master that there was a little cloud arising out 
of the sea, like a man's hand. At once he sends to Ahab, 
to tell him of the coming rain. And meanwhile "the 
heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a 
great rain." Ahab informed his wife Jezebel of all that 



222 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

had transpired. Instead of repenting, she took an oath that 
by to-morrow Elijah should meet the same fate as her 
prophets had met. Elijah arose and went for his life to 
Beer-sheba. He left his servant there, and went a day's 
journey into the wilderness, and requested of the Lord that 
he might die, saying: "It is enough; now, O Lord, take 
away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. And 
as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an 
angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And 
he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, 
and a 'cruse of water at his head." After lying down and 
sleeping again, the angel wakened him, and told him again, 
"Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee." 
And in the strength of that food he went "forty days and 
forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. And he came 
thither unto a cave, and lodged there." While in the cave, 
the Lord spoke to him, and said, "What doest thou here, 
Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the 
Lord Qod of hosts ; for the children of Israel have forsaken 
Thy covenant, thrown down Thine altars, and slain Thy 
prophets with the sword ; and I, even I only, am left ; and 
they seek my life, to take it away.". "And the Lord said 
unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of 
Damascus ; and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king 
over Syria ; and Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint 
to be king over Israel ; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of 
Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 
And.it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword 
of Hazael shall Jehu slay; and him that escapeth from the 
sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left Me seven 
thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed 
unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. 
So he departed thence, and found Elisha . . . plow- 
ing." No doubt it was the first plowing that had been done, 
since there had been no rain for three years and six months 
until now. , 




ELIJAH AND THE ANGEL. 



., Israel Divided. 225 

The next six years, from 906 to 900 b. a, mark a war 
between the children of Israel and Syria. The very next 
year bears the record of a conspiracy entered into by Ahab 
and Jezebel, his wife, to have Naboth and his family exter- 
minated, in order that they might obtain possession of his 
vineyard, an inheritance left him by his father. As a 
result of this act, the prophet of the Lord again met Ahab, 
and at this time his sentence was pronounced : "And the 
word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Arise, 
go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria ; 
behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone 
down to possess it. And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, 
Thus saith the Lord, ... In the place where the dogs 
licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even 
thine. And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O 
mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee; be- 
cause thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the 
Lord. Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take 
away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab" every male, 
"and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will make 
thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, 
and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the 
provocation wherewith thou hast provoked Me to anger, 
and made Israel to sin. And of Jezebel also spake the 
Lord, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of 
Jezreel." 1 Kings 21 : 17-23. 

War followed between Israel and Syria, and three years 
after this prediction Ahab was slain by the Syrians. He 
was wounded by a Syrian while in his chariot, "and the 
blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot." 
"So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they 
buried the king in Samaria. And one washed the chariot 
in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; 
and they washed his armor ; according unto the word of the 
Lord which He spake." Thus the prediction of the prophet 
15 



226 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

was literally fulfilled concerning Ahab. Ahaziah his son 
reigned in his stead. 

Jehoshaphat who began his reign in 914 b. a, was now 
reigning over Judah, and he reigned twenty-five years in 
Jerusalem. "And he walked in all the ways of Asa his 
father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was 
right in the eyes of the Lord." Ahaziah reigned two years 
over Israel, and he did evil in the sight of the Lord. He 
"fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber/' and 
was hurt, and he sent to Ekron to inquire of Baal-zebub in 
regard to his recovery. The Lord sent word through these 
to tell their king that, because he had gone to this satanic 
source for information, he should not recover, but would 
surely die. This information came through Elijah the 
prophet. Ahaziah inquired of his returned messengers, 
"What manner of man was he?" They said, "He was a 
hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins." 
He recognized from the description that it was Elijah. He 
then sent fifty men to bring Elijah to him. Elijah* com- 
manded fire to come clown from heaven, and they were 
consumed. He sent fifty more. And they were treated 
in like manner. He sent the third fifty. The captain of 
this fifty pleads with Elijah that they might be spared. The 
angel of the Lord tells Elijah to go down with them, and 
not to be afraid of them. Then Elijah gave the king the 
same message that had been sent him at the first, — that he 
should surely die. He also repeats the reason. This ought 
to teach us to-day to consider of whom we are seeking infor- 
mation, whether of Spiritualists, or any other satanic delu- 
sions, or of God. "So he died according to the word of the 
Lord which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in 
his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehosha- 
phat king of Judah: because he had no son." The Lord 
now informed Elijah that. he should be taken away, which 
came to pass in 896 b.-c, six hundred years after the chil- 




DEATH OF AHAB. 



Israel Divided. 229 

dren of Israel left Egypt. His mantle fell upon Elisha, 
who was to take up the work where Elijah laid it down, as 
recorded in 2 Kings 2. 

Jehoram reigned over Israel twelve years, and he 
wrought evil in the sight of the Lord, but not so extensively 
as his father or mother had done. As a result of this 
wicked reign, the Moabites rebelled against Israel. Prior 
to this they had been brought under tribute. At this time 
the kings of Israel and Judah and Edom united forces 
to go against Moab. They took a course that brought 
them into close trial. There was no water, either for their 
hosts or for the cattle that followed them. Jehoshaphat 
now inquired if there was not a man of God of whom they 
could inquire. They were referred to Elisha, saying that 
he was one who had poured water on the hands of Elijah. 
Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and the king of Edom went down 
to see Elisha. "And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, 
What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of 
thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the 
king of Israel said unto him, Nay ; for the Lord hath called 
these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand 
of Moab. And Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, 
before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the 
presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not 
look toward thee, nor see thee." Elisha now told them 
that they should see neither wind nor rain, but yet that 
valley wherein they were, and which they were to make full 
of ditches, should be filled with water, and that that was 
but a light thing in the sight of the Lord. And he con- 
tinued to tell them how great their victory would be. "And 
it came to pass in the morning, when the meat-offering was 
offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, 
and the country was filled with water." As the Moabites 
advanced that morning, and the sun shone on the water, 
it was red like blood. They concluded that Israel had gone 



23O The Inspired History of the Nations. 

to war with one another, and said therefore, "Moab, to 
the spoil." And when they came to the camp of the Israel- 
ites, these arose and killed the Moabites, and subsequently 
beat down their cities. This was a complete victory over 
Moab, for Judah's sake, though undeserved by Israel. 

The next war against Israel was organized by Syria. 
Every time the Syrians would encamp, Elisha, by the Spirit 
of the Lord, would inform Israel. The king of Syria, 
thinking there must be a spy or traitor in his camp, made 
diligent search, but was told that probably the information 
came through Elisha, a prophet of Israel. So he sent spies 
to find out, if possible, where Elisha was. He ascertained 
that he was at Dothan. Thereupon he sent an army to 
Dothan, and surrounded the place, both with horses and 
chariots. Elisha's servant said, "Alas, my master! how 
shall we do?" Elisha told him to keep quiet, that they 
who were with them were more than they who were with 
their enemies. "And when they came down to him, Elisha 
prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray 
Thee, with blindness. And He smote them with blindness 
according to the word of Elisha." Elisha then told them 
that this was not the city that they wanted, and they asked 
him to be their guide. Elisha led the host to Samaria, and 
when there he prayed that their eyes might be opened. And 
their eyes were opened, and, behold, they were in Samaria, 
and completely surrounded. Elisha's friends wanted to 
slay them while they had them in their power, but he said, 
No. "And he prepared great provision for them ; and when 
they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went 
to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into 
the land of Israel." 2 Kings 6 123. 

"And it came to pass after this, that Ben-hadad king 
of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged 
Samaria." This was some four years later. "And there 
was a great famine in Samaria; and, behold, they besieged 






Israel Divided. 23 1 

it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, 
and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces 
of silver." So great was this famine in the city that women 
boiled their own children and ate them. As in the days 
of Ahab, the blame was all laid upon the prophet Elisha, 
because he had been reproving them for their sins. Sa the 
king vowed that the head of Elisha should fall that very 
day. He sent messengers to Elisha' s house, to bring him 
out. "But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with 
him." The king followed the messenger, and came also. 
"Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus 
saith the Lord, To-morrow about this time shall a measure 
of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley 
for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. Then a lord on whose 
hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, 
Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might 
this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with 
thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof." The Syrians were 
encamped all about the city. There were also four lepers 
at the gate of Samaria, and it became a question of life or 
death with them. They decided that they would take their 
chances and go to the camp of the Syrians. But they found 
the camp vacated, the tents, horses, asses, provisions, in fact, 
the whole camp, as it was, except the men, who had fled. 
"For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear 
a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise 
of a great host ; and they said one to another, Lo, the king of 
Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the 
kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us. Wherefore they 
arose and fled in the twilight, . . . and fled for their 
life." The lepers came back and gave a report of what they 
had found, and, upon investigation, the report proved true. 
Then the king "appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned 
to have charge of the gate ; and the people trode upon him 
in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who 



2 32 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

spake when the king came down to him." Elisha now 
informed the widow whose son he had restored to life that 
she should leave Samaria and that country, "for the Lord 
hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the 
land seven years." "And Elisha came to Damascus; and 
Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick ; and it was told him, 
saying, The man of God is come hither." The king sent 
Hazael to inquire of Elisha whether he should be healed 
from his disease. "And Elisha said unto him, Go, say 
unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover ; howbeit the Lord 
hath showed me that he shall surely die. And he settled 
his countenance steadfastly, until he was ashamed; and the 
man of God wept. And Hazael said, Why weepest my 
lord ? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou 
wilt do unto the children of Israel; their strongholds wilt 
thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with 
the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their 
women with child. And Hazael said, But what, is thy 
servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And 
Elisha answered, The Lord hath showed me that thou shalt 
be king over Syria." 2 Kings 8. Hazael returned to his 
master, whose anxiety concerning his recovery he put at 
ease, by assuring him that the prophet had said he should 
surely recover. But Hazael took a wet cloth and smoth- 
ered Ben-hadad, and reigned in his stead. 

Jehoram was now sole king over Judah, having been 
regent eighteen years along with his father Jehoshaphat. 
His reign as king lasted eight years. He married the 
daughter of Ahab, king of Israel. He was a wicked king, 
"yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David His serv- 
ant's sake, as He promised him to give him always a light, 
and to his children." "Yet Edom revolted from under the 
hand of Judah. . . . Then Libnah revolted at the same 
time." Joram also, the king of Israel, died about this time, 
and Ahaziah, or Azariah, his son, reigned in his stead. 



Israel Divided. 233 

"In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of 
Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin 
to reign. . . . And he reigned one year in Jerusalem." 
He was also a wicked king. Ahaziah king of Judah and 
Joram king of Israel united in war against Hazael king of 
Syria in Ramoth-gilead. 

The Lord at this time directed Elisha to send one of the 
children of the prophets to Ramoth-gilead, to seek Jehu, 
the son of Nimshi, and anoint him king over Israel, and 
instruct him as follows : "And thou shalt smite the house 
of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of My 
servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of 
the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel. For the whole house of 
Ahab shall perish ; and I will cut off from Ahab" every 
male, and "him that is shut up and left in Israel ; and I will 
make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son 
of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah; 
and the clogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and 
there shall be none to bury her. And," having carried 
out his orders to the letter, "he opened the door, and fled." 
Jehu informed his friends of what had transpired. They 
immediately "blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king." 
Ahaziah, king of Judah, had gone down to see Joram, king 
of Israel, at Jezreel, where he was recovering from his 
wounds. Jehu immediately procured his chariots, and 
started for Jezreel. The kings saw some one at a great 
distance, coming in haste. They sent out their messengers 
to inquire if these hasty movements meant peace. The 
messengers were detained by Jehu and his company. 
Finally Joram himself started to meet Jehu. He inquired of 
Jehu, "Is it peace?" And Jehu answered: "What peace, 
so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her 
witchcrafts are so many? And Joram turned his hands, 
and fled; and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Aha- 
ziah. And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength,, and 



234 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out 
at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot. Then said 
Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the 
portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite." Ahaziah 
tied, but he was also overtaken and slain. "And when 
Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it ; and she 
painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a 
window." And Jehu rode up to the window, and he called 
out, "Who is on my side? . . . And there looked out 
to him two or three eunuchs. And he said, Throw her 
down. So they threw her down; and some of her blood 
was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses ; and he trode 
her underfoot. And when he was come in, he did eat and 
drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury 
her; for she is a king's daughter. And they went to bury 
her ; but they found no more of her than the skull, and the 
feet, and the palms of her hands. Wherefore they came 
again, and told him. And he said. This is the word of the 
Lord, which He spake by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, 
saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of 
Jezebel ; and the carcass of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the 
face of the field in the portion of Jezreel ; so that they shall 
not say, This is Jezebel." 2 Kings 9. 

There were yet seventy sons left of Ahab in Samaria, 
who had been brought up by the best families of the city. 
Jehu sent their guardians word that by to-morrow the heads 
of these seventy sons must be brought in baskets to Jezreel. 
This was also accomplished. Then Jehu said, "Know now 
that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of 
the Lord, which the Lord spake concerning the house of 
Ahab ; for the Lord hath done that which He spake by His 
servant Elijah." 2 Kings 10:10. He also destroyed the 
kinsfolks of Ahab and the priests of Baal. He made a 
feast in honor of Baal, that he might be able to detect all 
the priests who claimed to belong to that form of worship, 



Israel Divided. 235 

and through this stratagem he caught all the priests of 
Baal and slew them. The Lord promised Jehu that for 
this zeal in so well carrying out the word of the Lord, his 
children should succeed him on the throne to the fourth 
generation. "But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law 
of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart ; for he departed 
not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin. 
In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short ; and Hazael 
smote them in all the coasts of Israel." Jehu died, and was 
succeeded by his son Jehoahaz, after reigning over Israel 
over twenty-eight years. 

Israel's downfall now begins. 

From the death of Jehu, 884 b. c, to the captivity of 
Israel and the end of the reign of Hoshea, b. c. 721, a period 
of 163 years, Judah had ten kings and Israel eleven. This 
was a period of great apostasy from God. During this 
time Judah had some good kings, but Israel not one. 

Among the kings of Israel, Jeroboam's reign was the 
longest, for he reigned forty-one years, "and did that which 
was evil in the sight of the Lord." And "the Lord saw 
the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter ; for there was 
not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel. 
And the Lord said not that He would blot out the name 
of Israel from under heaven; but He saved them by the 
hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash." 2 Kings 14:26, 27. 

The ten tribes were broken up by Assyria 721 b. c. 
The Lord is already commencing His work of the long- 
threatened judgments. The reader will see that from this 
time forward perplexities are multiplying on every hand, 
both on Judah and on Israel. Their cup of iniquity is being 
filled almost to the full. 

"In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria 
took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, 
and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river 



236 The Inspired History of tlie Nations. 

of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. For so it was 
that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord 
their God, which had brought them up out of the land of 
Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, 
and had feared other gods, and walked in the statutes of 
the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the chil- 
dren of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had 
made." "Yet the Lord testified against Israel, and against 
Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, 
Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep My commandments 
and My statutes, according to all the law which I com- 
manded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My serv- 
ants the prophets. Notwithstanding they would not hear, 
but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, 
that did not believe in the Lord their God." "And they left 
all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made 
them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, 
and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served Baal." 
"Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and 
removed them out of His sight ; there was none left but 
the tribe of Judah only." "So was Israel carried, away 
out of their own land to Assyria unto this day." 

This is 721 b. c. Thus ends the history of the ten 
tribes which left Egypt, so far as the theocracy was 
concerned. God was no longer their ruler. They are now 
scattered abroad, and have been subject to earthly gov- 
ernments from that day to this. In going over the history 
of the two houses of Israel and Judah, from the death of 
Solomon to this time, the thoughtful reader can not fail to 
see that the ten tribes were more wicked than Judah, hence 
they are the first to go into captivity and be scattered abroad. 

Let the reader not be discouraged in studying the history 
of the theocracy of Israel and Judah, for in it are re- 
vealed principles which every man should understand, to 
realize that God's hand rules over the kingdoms of this 



Israel Divided. 237 

world. And, as Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar, "He 
removeth kings, and setteth up kings." Dan. 2 :2i. These 
principles will be manifested until the end of time, and he 
who understands them best will understand best the move- 
ments of earthly governments in the last days, and will be 
able to discern between true and false principles. He will 
also be able to tell whether the so-called Christianizing of 
the world is the work of God or not. Let him bear in mind 
this one fact, that in all this history God never sent an army 
to civilize or Christianize a heathen nation. 

It was His own people whom He desired to be a light to 
the world, and, had they lived up to the privileges they 
enjoyed as a nation, the world would have seen the light, 
and been led to accept the gospel. But as it was, they were 
a reproach and a hindrance to God's work, and the enemies 
of the cross of Christ. May not movements to-day, which 
are inaugurated under the name of Christianity, be more 
of a hindrance to the advancement of truth than they are 
a help? This one thing is sure, that God is not in any 
movement which is not just and righteous, and in strict 
harmony with the law of ten commandments, a divine copy 
of which was carried by Israel in the ark of the covenant. 

Judah's history continues for a time, until their cup of 
iniquity is also full, and they meet the same fate as the ten 
tribes. 




CHAPTER XIII: 



JUDAH. 



"Also Judah kept not the commandments of the Lord 
their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they 
made." 2 Kings 17:19. "Now it came to pass in the 
third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Heze- 
kiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 
Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; 
and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. . . . 
And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, 
according to all that David his father did." "He trusted 
in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like 
him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before 
him." "And the Lord was with him ; and he prospered 
whithersoever he went forth ; and he rebelled against the 
king of Assyria, and served him not. He smote the Philis- 
tines, even unto Gaza." Now eight years later, the king 
of Assyria declared war against Judah, and Sennacherib 
king of Assyria came "up against all the fenced cities of 
Judah, and took them." And Hezekiah was compelled to 
surrender, and gave the king of Assyria "all the silver that 
was found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures 
of the king's house. 



And he even "cut off the gold from 



238 



Jndali. 239 

the doors of the temple of the Lord, and from the pillars 
which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it 
to the king of Assyria." The king of Assyria was not 
satisfied with this, however, but demanded a full and com- 
plete surrender of the city, and all that was in it. He 
besieged the city, and sent word to Hezekiah that the God 
in whom he trusted would not be able to deliver him, and 
he made a great boast of what he would do. "And it came 
to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his 
clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into 
the house of the Lord." 2 Kings 19:1. Isaiah was the 
prophet of the Lord at this time. And Hezekiah sent word 
unto him, saying, "This day is a day of trouble, and of 
rebuke, and blasphemy; for the children are come to the 
birth, and there is not strength to bring them forth." 
Isaiah answered and said : "Thus saith the Lord, Be not 
afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with which the 
servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Be- 
hold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a 
rumor, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause 
him to fall by the sword in his own land." "And Hezekiah 
prayed before the Lord, and said, O Lord God of Israel, 
which dwellest between the cherubim, Thou art the God, 
even Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; Thou 
hast made heaven and earth. Lord, bow down Thine ear, 
and hear; open, Lord, Thine eyes, and see; and hear the 
words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the 
living God." "Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to 
Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, That 
which thou hast prayed to Me against Sennacherib king 
of Assyria I have heard." And the Lord sent this mes- 
sage to the king of Assyria : "But I know thy abode, and 
thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against Me. 
Because thy rage against Me and thy tumult is come up 
into Mine ears, therefore I will put My hook in thy nose, 



240 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

and My bridle in thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the 
way by which thou earnest." "x\nd the remnant that is 
escaped of the house of judah shall yet again take root 
downward, and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem 
shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of Mount 
Zion; the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this. There- 
fore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He 
shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, 
nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it." 
"And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord 
went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hun- 
dred fourscore and five thousand; and when they arose 
early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses." 
2 Kings 19. 

This is a wonderful manifestation of God's power, and 
a vivid illustration of His manner of warring against the 
enemies of His people. What a contrast from the method 
of warfare in "Christian" armies of our day ! 

Hezekiah was succeeded by his son Manasseh. He 
reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. And he did evil in 
the sight of the Lord, "for he built up again the high places 
which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up 
altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of 
Israel; and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served 
them." 2 Kings 21 :3. Here, as well as in other places, 
we have the evidence that Baal worship was that system 
of idolatry which adored the planets of heaven. This sys- 
tem can be traced through the entire history of idolatrous 
worship. It was later practised by the Romans, who 
named the days of the week after the sun, moon, and five 
leading planets of heaven respectively. Our Anglo-Saxon 
ancestors substituted their Saxon names for some of them 
in our nomenclature. "And the Lord spake by His serv- 
ants the prophets, saying, Because Manasseh king of Judah 
hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly 



Judah. 241 

above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, 
and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols; therefore 
thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing 
such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever hear- 
eth of it, both his ears shall tingle. And I will stretch over 
Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the plummet of the house 
of Ahab ; and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, 
wiping it, and turning it upside down." "Because they 
have done that which was evil in My sight, and have pro- 
voked Me to anger, since the day their fathers came forth 
out of Egypt, even unto this day. Moreover Manasseh 
shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem 
from one end to another ; beside his sin wherewith he made 
Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of 
the Lord." Such is the sad summary of the history of 
the fifty-five years' reign of this wicked king. And Amon, 
his son, reigned in his stead. He reigned two years in 
Jerusalem, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked 
in all the ways of his father. His servants conspired 
against him, and slew him in his own house. 

Josiah his son succeeded him. He reigned thirty-one 
years in Jerusalem. He did that which was right in the 
sight of the Lord. It seems that under this man's reign 
the book of the law of Moses was discovered. "And it 
came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the 
book of the law, that he rent his clothes." 2 Kings 22 :n. 
He instructed the high priest and others, saying, "Go ye, 
inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all 
Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found; 
for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against 
us, because our fathers have not harkened unto the words 
of this book, to do according unto all that which is written 
concerning us." This shows how great was the apostasy 
that existed. Even the book of the law containing the 
blessings and cursings written by Moses, which was put 
16 



242 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

in the side of the ark, wherein were contained the principles 
which should govern Israel, had been entirely lost. This 
king began at once to make a great reformation, in order, 
if possible, to rescue Judah from the great judgments 
which were hanging over it. 

At this time the Lord was using a woman by the name 
of Huldah as a prophetess in Judah. The high priest went 
to her to inquire. Her reply was : "Thus saith the Lord, 
Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the 
inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which 
the king of Judah hath read; because they have forsaken 
Me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they 
might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their 
hands; therefore My wrath shall be kindled against this 
place, and shall not be quenched. But to the king of Judah 
which sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to 
him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the 
words which thou hast heard; because thine heart was 
tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, 
when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and 
against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become 
a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and 
wept before Me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord. 
Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and 
thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine 
eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this 
place." Verses 16-20. 

Josiah gathered all the elders of Judah and the inhabit- 
ants of Jerusalem, and the priests and prophets, and all the 
people, both small and great, and he read in their ears all 
the words of the book of the covenant which had been found. 
And they brought forth all the vessels which had been dedi- 
cated to the sun, the moon, and the planets of heaven, out 
of the house of the Lord, to the brook Kidron, and burned 
them there. He also brought the grove out of the house 



Jiidah. 243 

of the Lord, and brake it in pieces, and stamped it in the 
dust. ("Groves" were sun images.) He also appointed 
a passover. "Surely there was not holden such a pass- 
over from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor 
m all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings 
of Judah." "Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, 
and the wizards, . . . did Josiah put away. . . 
And like unto him there was no king before him, that 
turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, 
and with all his mighty according to all the law of Moses ; 
neither after him arose there any like him. Notwithstand- 
ing the Lord turned not from the fierceness of His great 
wrath, wherewith His anger was kindled against Judah, 
because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked 
Him withal. And the Lord said, I will remove Judah also 
out of My sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast 
off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house 
of which I said, My name shall be there." 2 Kings 23. 

Josiah was succeeded by his son Jehoahaz, who reigned 
three months in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the 
Lord. The next event in the history of Judah was that it 
was put under tribute to Egypt by Pharaoh-nechoh. Jeho- 
ahaz was put in bands, and Eliakim, another son of Josiah, 
was made king. Eliakim's name was changed to Jehoia- 
kim. This king reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He 
did evil in the sight of the Lord. "In his clays Nebuchad- 
nezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his 
servant three years; then he turned and rebelled against 
him. And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldees, 
and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and 
bands of the children of Amnion, and sent them against 
Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord, 
which He spake by His servants the prophets. Surely at 
the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah, to 
remove them out of His sight, for the sins of Manasseh, 



244 TJie Inspired History of the Nations. 

according to all that he did." Jehoiakim was succeeded 
by Jehoiachin. He reigned in Jerusalem three months, 
and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. 

"And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against 
the city, and his servants did besiege it." And Jehoiachin 
and his servants, and princes, and officers, were taken 
prisoners by the king of Babylon. "And he carried away 
all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men 
of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen 
and smiths; none remained, save the poorest sort of the 
people of the land." "And the king of Babylon made 
Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead, and 
changed his name to Zedekiah." He reigned eleven years 
in Jerusalem, and he did that which was evil in the sight 
of the Lord. "For through the anger of the Lord it came 
to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until He had cast them 
from His presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king 
of Babylon." The city was again taken in the eleventh 
year of the reign of Zedekiah. "And they slew the sons 
of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zede- 
kiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him 
to Babylon." "And he burnt the house of the Lord, and 
the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every 
great man's house burnt he with fire. And all the army 
of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, 
brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about." "But 
the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be 
vine-dressers and husbandmen." 2 Kings 25 :y, 9, 10. 12. 

Thus we have completed the history of the theocracy 
of Israel, commencing with the time they left Egypt, and 
ending with their captivity by Babylon, 588 b. c, making 
a history of nearly nine hundred years. This history has 
been recorded in Exodus, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 
1 and 2 Samuel, and 1 and 2 Kings. 

We want to establish one point right here that we wish 



Judah. 245 

the reader to grasp, viz., that, from the time when the theoc- 
racy was broken up and the children of Israel went into 
captivity and were scattered abroad, the book of Daniel 
takes up the history as does no other book in the Bible. 
And he who fails to make the connection between the book 
of Daniel and the ending of the theocracy, makes a 
mistake which he can not correct, and sustains a loss 
which he can not fully make good from any other book or 
books in the Bible. And, in order to show the perfect con- 
nection, we will quote the first part of this wonderful 
book : — 

"In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of 
Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jeru- 
salem, and besieg*ed it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king 
of Judah into his hand." This shows that Daniel takes up 
the history exactly where the books of the Kings close. 
But before considering the book of Daniel, we wish to call 
attention to some of the points of history already passed 
over. 

First, rebellion against God has always sooner or later 
resulted in punishment of the transgressor, regardless of 
position or class. 

Second, we have learned, through this entire history of 
the government of God, that the Lord always had a true 
prophet as the highest officer in the state. 

Third, the law of the ten commandments is the basis 
upon which all true government is founded. 

Fourth, the law of blessings and cursings runs parallel 
with the law of the ten commandments. 

These principles always have governed and always will 
g-overn the people of God, wherever they exist. Regarding 
the spirit of prophecy, we wish to speak further. We are 
now 3,397 years this side of the creation in our study. 
Adam, Enoch, Lamech, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, 
and Joseph bring us from creation 2,369 years. These 



246 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

all talked with God. All of them except Adam spoke 
of the future, and had the spirit of prophecy, thus show- 
ing that for 2,369 years God talked with the people here 
on the earth. There were others with whom He spoke, 
but we mention these as covering that period. This brings 
us down to the close of Joseph's life in Egypt. He told 
his brethren that the Lord would visit them and bring them 
out. Moses was raised up by the Lord, having this same 
gift of prophecy, and he led the children of Israel out of 
Egypt 144 years later, thus leaving us a space of 144 
years from Joseph to Moses, in which we have no direct 
evidence of the existence of the spirit of prophecy. This 
includes the period of hardest servitude of Israel in 
Egypt. Malachi was the last Old Testament prophet. He 
prophesied 397 years before Christ, or 3,607 years after the 
creation. Now, during this entire period of 3,607 years, 
the spirit of prophecy was a continual light to the world, 
with the exception of 144 years, while Israel was in Egypt. 
During this period we have the record of between fifty and 
one hundred prophets, consisting of both men and women, 
mentioned by name, besides where the Scriptures speak of 
companies of prophets. Another query that might arise 
in the minds of some is, Why do we have the writings of 
nearly twenty of the prophets just prior to and immediately 
following the breaking up of the theocracy? The only 
logical answer that can be g'iven is this, God's children 
were to be scattered abroad, and these books, such as Daniel, 
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the minor prophets who 
prophesied at this time, were to foretell the history of the 
world, that God's people, though scattered abroad through- 
out the earth, might fully understand the history of the work 
of the Lord in the earth, until the Lord would come the 
second time, and set up His everlasting kingdom. Let the 
reader carefully peruse and study these books here men- 
tioned, with this thought in view, and he will see a beautv 



Judah. 249 

in the writings of the prophets that he has not heretofore 
realized. The subject-matter in all these nineteen books 
of the prophets which pertain to their own day, as com- 
pared to the future, is very small indeed. Later on in this 
study we will refer more particularly to these books, and 
shall show that their writings pertain very largely to the 
latter days, and especially to the time when God will gather 
the remnant of His people who have been scattered abroad, 
preparatory to setting up His everlasting kingdom. 

The breaking up of the theocracy was a sad time for the 
church. The Lord intended that His people should con- 
tinue in that form of government, with Him as ruler, until 
He should come the second time ; but, owing to their rebel- 
lious condition, and their departure from God, He said 
through the prophet Ezekiel (chapter 21, verses 25 to 2j) 
to the last king on the throne, which we have learned was 
Zedekiah : "And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, 
whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, thus 
saith the Lord God; Remove the diadem, and take off the 
crown; this shall not be the same; exalt him that is low, 
and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, 
overturn, it; and it shall be no more, until He come whose 
right it is ; and I will give it Him." "Therefore night shall 
be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall 
be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine ; and the sun shall 
go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over 
them." Micah 3 :6. "Her gates are sunk into the ground ; 
He hath destroyed and broken her bars; her king and her 
princes are among the Gentiles ; the law is no more ; her 
prophets also find no vision from the Lord." Lam. 2 :g. 

What a sad picture this gives, when God has departed 
from His people ! There had been a continual light burning 
through the spirit of prophecy for nearly thirty-five hundred 
years. The law of God and this great gift to the church 
had stood side by side. The shekinah had followed the ark 



250 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

of God for forty years through the journey in the wilder- 
ness. It had rested upon the prophets for centuries, but the 
sun- has now gone down, and it is a dark day for Israel. 
The cause of this is plainly stated in the last text quoted, 
which says, "The law is no more." We also read, "Where 
there is no vision, the people perish ; but he that keepeth the 
law, happy is he." Prov. 29:18. The Lord will not rec- 
ognize His people when they so far depart from Him that 
they no longer regard His law and set at naught His pre- 
cepts. This is a fixed principle ; let it ever be remembered. 

From 397 b. c. until about the time of John the Baptist 
is another period in which this gift was not signally mani- 
fest. Israel was in a deplorable condition. Their religion 
was merely an outward form. And, as Paul shows in 
Romans the second chapter, while they claimed to keep the 
law, they were breakers of the law, and dishonored God. 
Hence there was no vision during this period. This gift 
of prophecy sprang up about the time of John the Baptist, 
and lasted during the lives of the apostles, until the book 
of Revelation was written, in a. d. 96. This period was 
something over one hundred years in length. 

Following this period there was to be another great 
apostasy, called "the mystery of iniquity," which was fore- 
told by Daniel, Paul, and John, and was to continue 1,260 
years. This power was called the lawless one, or the man 
of sin, who was to "trample the truth to the ground, and 
practise, and prosper." The apostle Paul said, "The mys- 
tery of iniquity doth already work." Corruptions began 
to enter the church in his day. They continued to increase 
until the full development of the Papacy, in 538 a. d. 
Its supremacy continued till 1798, including, as it does, 
the time we call the "Dark Ages." Consequently during 
this period the spirit of prophecy was again withdrawn 
from the people. Having thus clearly and unquestion- 
ably laid down the principles governing God's people, we 



Judah. . 251 

pass this line of thought, with the promise that later on 
in this study we will show that, in the gathering time of 
those who were scattered abroad, these two principles, the 
law of God and the spirit of prophecy (the two combined 
constituting the ensign of Israel), will be again held up 
before the world, under the proclamation of a special mes- 
sage foretold in the book of Revelation, fourteenth chapter, 
that is to be given to all the dwellers upon the earth. This 
message is to gather the remnant of Israel which is scat- 
tered abroad, preparatory to meeting the Lord when He 
shall come the second time to this world. 

We will now consider the "prophecies of Daniel, which 
connect the history of the overthrow of the theocracy with 
the future of earthly governments. This connection made 
by Daniel must not be overlooked by the Bible student. 
Without it as made by this writer, the prophetic chain 
would be broken and the history be incomplete. 




CHAPTER XIV. 



ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY. 



The Lord has always desired His people to be a nation 
unto themselves, in order that they might be a light to 
the world. This fact is plainly stated in the seventeenth 
chapter of Jeremiah, where the prophet gives a plain warn- 
ing in the following language: "Thus saith the Lord; Take 
heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, 
nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem ; neither carry 
forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, 
neither do ye any work, but hallow. ye the Sabbath day, 
as I commanded your fathers. But they obeyed not, neither 
inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might 
not hear, nor receive instruction. And it shall come to 
pass, if ye diligently harken unto Me, saith the Lord, to 
bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the 
Sabbath day, but hallow the Sabbath day, to do no work 
therein; then shall there enter into the gates of this city 
kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding 
in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men 
of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city 
shall remain forever. And they shall come from the cities 
of Judah, and from the places about Jerusalem, and from 
the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the 



252 



Another Opportunity. 253 

mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt-offerings, 
and sacrifices, and meat-offerings, and incense, and bringing 
sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the Lord. But if ye 
will not harken unto Me to hallow the Sabbath day, and 
not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jeru- 
salem on the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the 
gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, 
and it shall not be quenched." Verses 21-27. 

This scripture plainly declares that Jerusalem might 
stand forever, and kings and princes should ride through 
her gates. This prophecy was made even after Nebuchad- 
nezzar had come against the city and put them under 
tribute, not long before Zedekiah, the last king, was taken 
and the city destroyed. Sabbath-breaking was one of the 
common sins of Israel, which led them away from the wor- 
ship of the true God, to worship the host of heaven. The 
first clay of the week having been dedicated to the worship 
of the sun, its observance had taken the place of that of 
the Sabbath of Jehovah. This prophecy was left unheeded, 
and soon the city met its threatened doom. But even later 
on the Lord put it into the heart of King Cyrus of Persia to 
issue a decree that the captive Jews might return and build 
their city, and thus have a place in the earth above all other 
places in which the Lord could meet His people. 

Although the crown and diadem had been removed, and 
there could not exist another kingdom as before, yet the 
Lord would be their ruler, and turn the kings of nations in 
their favor, as He ever has had the power to do. "Now 
in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of 
the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the 
Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he 
made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put 
it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, 
The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms 
of the earth ; and He hath charged me to build Him a house 



254 TJie Inspired History of the Nations. 

at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you 
of all His people? his Gocl be with him, and let him go 
up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house 
of the Lord God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jeru- 
salem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he 
sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, 
and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the 
free-will offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem." 
Ezra i :i-4. The fathers of Israel arose, and took hold 
of the matter. Means and help according to the decree 
were furnished. The vessels of the house of Gocl, which 
Nebuchadnezzar had carried away, were restored to them, 
and they returned and began the work. "And when the 
seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were 
in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as 
one man to Jerusalem." Ezra 3:1. 

They were afraid of the people who were dwelling in 
their land. The first thing they did was to erect an altar. 
They also kept the feast of tabernacles. "And when the 
builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they 
set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites 
the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after 
the ordinance of David king of Israel." "But many of the 
priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were 
ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the founda- 
tion of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a 
loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy; so that the 
people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from 
the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people 
shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar 
off." Verses 10, 12, 13. 

This was a happy day for the exiles. But trouble now 
begins. Satan still lives, and, if he can not allure the Lord's 
children into sin, he will openly undertake to defeat their 
work. "Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin 



Another Opportunity. 255 

heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple 
unto the Lord God of Israel ; then they came to Zerubbabel, 
and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us 
build with you; for we seek your God, as ye do; and we 
do sacrifice unto Him since the days of Esar-haddon king 
of Assur, which brought us up hither." This request was 
refused, however. "Then the people of the land weakened 
the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in 
building." This they did all the days of Cyrus until Darius 
came to the throne of Persia. 

"This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, 
even unto Artaxerxes the king; . . . Be it known unto 
the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are 
come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad 
city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the 
foundations. Be it known now unto the king, that, if this 
city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they 
not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endam- 
age the revenue of the kings." In this letter they also made 
a request that the records be examined, stating, that therein 
the king would find that this city was "a rebellious city, 
and hurtful unto kings and provinces," and that they were 
movers of seditions, "for which cause was this city de- 
stroyed." "Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the 
chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of 
their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest 
beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time. The letter 
which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me. 
And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is 
found that this city of old time hath made insurrection 
against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been 
made therein." "Give ye now commandment to cause 
these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until 
another commandment shall be given from me." 

This letter was addressed to and the reply despatched 



256 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

by Artaxerxes, who succeeded Ahasuerus, and reigned but 
six months on the throne of Persia. The Jews were then 
compelled by force to quit the work. "Then ceased the 
work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it 
ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king 
of Persia." Ezra 4. The second year of the reign of 
Darius was b. c. 519. The decree of Cyrus was issued 
b. c. 536. This shows that the second decree was seven- 
teen years later than the decree made by Cyrus. This sec- 
ond decree is recorded in Ezra 6. During the seventeen 
years above mentioned, the Jews became discouraged, and 
returned to their occupations. But the Lord desired that 
this house should be built and His people should again 
enjoy His blessings as of old. So He raised up Haggai, 
a prophet, and gave him a message for the people. "Then 
came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, 
Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and 
this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the Lord 
of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and 
bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, 
but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there 
is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages 
to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the Lord of 
hosts; Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and 
bring wood, and build the house ; and I will take pleasure 
in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord. Ye looked for 
much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it 
home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. 
Because of Mine house that is waste, and ye run every 
man unto his own house. Therefore the heaven over you 
is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. 
And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the 
mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and 
upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth 
forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labor 



Another Opportunity. 257 

of the hands." Haggai 1 13-11. This stirred up the peo- 
ple to renewed effort. 

"Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and 
Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house 
of God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the 
prophets of God helping them." Ezra 5 :2. Satan was 
determined that this house should not be built. So the 
governor and his companions, whom the king had ap- 
pointed again, visited the builders, and said : "Who hath 
commanded you to build this house, and to make up this 
wall? Then said we unto them after this manner, What 
are the names of the men that make this building? But 
the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that 
they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to 
Darius ; and then they returned answer by letter concerning 
this matter.' , 

The governor wrote a letter to Darius concerning this 
meeting with the Jews, and gave him their reply. And in 
this reply they referred to the decree of Cyrus nineteen 
years previous to this, and asked that the king might search 
in the books for this decree. On the receipt of this letter 
by the king, we read in Ezra 6:1, "Then Darius the king 
made a decree, and search was made in the house of the 
rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon." The 
decree was found. Then King Darius wrote letters back 
to the governor of Judah and his companions, saying: 
"Let the work of this house of God alone ; let the governor 
of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of 
God in His place. Moreover I make a decree what ye shall 
do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house 
of God ; that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond 
the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that 
they be not hindered." He further added in this decree: 
"And the God that hath caused His name to dwell there 
destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand 

17 



258 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jeru- 
salem. I Darius have made a decree; let it he done with 
speed." Thus ends the second decree for the rebuilding 
of the temple. 

Concerning this building the prophet says, "Who is 
left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and 
how do ye see it now ? is it not in your eyes in com- 
parison of it as nothing?" Haggai 2:3. At the writing 
of Haggai the building had advanced to a considerable 
extent, and he wished to impress them with the thought 
that it was nowhere near completion. Then he adds, "The 
glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the for- 
mer, saith the Lord of hosts; and in this place will I give 
peace, saith the Lord of hosts." Verse 9. This was a 
great promise made to Israel, that, if they would obey the 
Lord their God, He would make that house far excel any 
house that had yet been built. And the glory attending 
it would far exceed that of the past, for that would be 
the temple to which the Messiah would come and "give 
peace." 

Ezekiel, who had prophesied a few years prior to this, 
made a conditional prophecy to Israel regarding a temple 
that should remain forever upon the earth. This condi- 
tional prophecy is recorded in Ezekiel, chapters 40 to 48. 
This prophecy has been a query in the minds of many, but 
it is easy to be seen, when compared with historical facts 
which we are now considering, that it was a conditional 
prophecy, and would come under this heading, "Another 
Opportunity." For we read: "Now let them put away 
their whoredom, and the carcasses of their kings, far from 
Me, and I will dwell in the midst of them forever. Thou 
son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, that 
they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them 
measure the pattern. And if they be ashamed of all that 
they have done, show them the form of the house, and the 



Another Opportunity. 2$Q 

fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the com- 
ings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the 
ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the 
laws thereof; and write it in their sight, that they may 
keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, 
and do them." Eze. 43:9-11. This shows very plainly 
that the Lord never desired that His people should be left 
without a house on earth where His name would be placed. 
It is wonderful what great promises and privileges the 
Lord's people have had in all their history. But in the 
language of the prophet, "Your iniquities have separated 
between you and your God, and your sins have hid His 
face from you, that He will not hear." Isa. 59 :2. 

Returning now to Ezra 7, we read of the last decree 
issued for the complete rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the 
restoration of the Jewish commonwealth. This decree was 
issued by Artaxerxes, king of Persia, and given to Ezra the 
scribe 457 b. c, sixty-two years after the second decree, 
issued by Darius Hystaspes. The decree is quite lengthy, 
covering not only Ezra's power to govern and establish 
order in Judea, but to furnish him with all means needed 
to support the priesthood and "to beautify the house of 
the Lord which is in Jerusalem." From the date of this 
decree begins a very important prophetic period, brought 
to view in the eighth and ninth chapters of the book of 
Daniel, which will be considered later on in this study, and 
for this reason let the reader note these decrees carefully, 
for the better we understand all the scriptures thus gone 
over, the better we will comprehend that which is to follow. 

"And the elders of the Jews builded, and they pros- 
pered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and 
Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished 
it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, 
and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, 
and Artaxerxes king of Persia." Ezra 6:14. Thus we 



260 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

see that it required all of these decrees to complete the 
building and restoration of Jerusalem, thus making it clear 
that, later on, when the Lord said that the commandment 
to go forth to restore and build Jerusalem would mark the 
commencement of a prophetic period, that that period must 
date from the last decree, which threefold decree was 
completed by Artaxerxes, in 457 b. c. 

We now call attention to the spiritual condition of Israel 
at this time and forward, for upon this point depends their 
future prosperity. 



fhe words that I speaKunfo you, they ape/^ 
. spirit and they are life" MfjS.ss. 



CHAPTER XV. 



EZRA S RETURN. 



Ezra was a very devoted, earnest man, and one who was 
well acquainted with the history of God's people, and knew 
the true source of power and wisdom. "Then I pro- 
claimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might 
afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of Him a right 
way for us, and for our little ones, and for -all our sub- 
r.tarice. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band 
of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in 
the way; because we had spoken unto the king, saying, 
The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek 
Him ; but His power and His wrath is against all them that 
forsake Him. So we fasted and besought our God for 
this ; and He was entreated of us." Ezra 8:21-23. "And 
they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's 
lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river; 
and they furthered the people, and the house of God." 
Verse 36. 

Ezra, on arriving at Jerusalem, found his people in a 
sad condition spiritually. "Now when these things were 
done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, 
and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated them- 

261 



262 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

selves from the people of the lands, doing according to 
their abominations. . . . For they have taken of their 
daughters for themselves, and for their sons ; so that the 
holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those 
lands ; yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been 
chief in this trespass. And when I heard this thing, I 
rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair 
of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied." 
Ezra now offered a prayer to the Lord, "and said, O my 
God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to Thee, 
my God ; for our iniquities are increased over our head, and 
our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. Since the days 
of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this 
day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our 
priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the 
lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to 
confusion of face, as it is this day." Ezra continues by 
acknowledging the sins of which they had been guilty, 
naming them before the Lord. "Now when Ezra had 
prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting 
himself down before the house of God, there assembled 
unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men 
and women and children; for the people wept very sore." 
Ezra 10:1. The people confessed all their wrongs. A 
general congregation of Israel was called from through- 
out Judah and Jerusalem, and they entered into a solemn 
covenant with Ezra and the Lord that they would put away 
their strange wives and correct their wrong habits, in order 
that the wrath of God might be turned from them. They 
made their offerings for their sins, and there was a general 
reformation wrought. Thus 'closes the book of Ezra. 

Passing down eleven years later, to 446 b. c, the prophet 
Nehemiah carries the history still further. The report 
comes to Nehemiah that the affliction of Israel is great. 
"And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the 



Ezra's Return. 263 

captivity there in the province are in great affliction and 
reproach; the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and 
the gates thereof are burned with fire. And it came to 
pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, 
and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before 
the God of heaven." Neh. 1 13, 4. Nehemiah knew the 
cause of all this which had befallen Israel, for he mentions 
the cause in prayer. "We have dealt very corruptly against 
Thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the stat- 
utes, nor the judgments, which Thou commandest Thy 
servant Moses. Remember, I beseech Thee, the word that 
Thou commandest Thy servant Moses, saying, If ye trans- 
gress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations ; but 
if ye turn unto Me, and keep My commandments, and do 
them; though there were of you cast out unto the utter- 
most part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, 
and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to 
set My name there." On the strength of this promise of 
the Lord, Nehemiah prays that He will forgive their tres- 
passes. 

The prophet was very sad of countenance. On going 
in before the king, his majesty noticed the sadness upon 
his face, and inquired the cause. The king was then 
told of the situation in Jerusalem. He asked Nehemiah 
what request he wished to make. He made the request 
that he might be permitted to go back to the land of Judah 
and repair the breaches that had been made in the wall, and 
to look after his people. He also asked for letters to the 
governors to convey him over to Judah, also letters that he 
might secure material for the rebuilding of the wall. This 
was all granted by Artaxerxes, the same one who had given 
the command to Ezra. Nehemiah arose at once, and went 
to Jerusalem, and viewed the wall which was broken down, 
and the gates which were consumed by fire. This faithful 
man then laid the matter before the Jews, saying, "Ye see 



264 The Inspired History of the Nations. 

the distress that we are in ; . . . let us build up the wall 
of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach." By reading 
the book of Nehemiah, we find that they again, as of yore, 
had great opposition in this work. Enemies came in and 
threatened them, and the wall was built in most troublous 
times. 

Nehemiah' s experience with the Lord's people was very 
similar to that of Ezra's. A separation again took place 
after they heard the reading of the law by Nehemiah. 
Their idolatrous practises were laid aside, and their mar- 
riage relations with other nations stopped. But there is 
still another habit which always follows the practises men- 
tioned, namely, Sabbath-breaking. "In those days saw I 
in Judah some treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and 
bringing in sheaves, and lading asses ; as also wine, grapes, 
and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought 
into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; and I testified against 
them in the day wherein they sold victuals." "Then I con- 
tended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What 
evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day? 
Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all 
this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more 
wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath. And it came 
to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark 
before the Sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be 
shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after 
the Sabbath; and some of my servants set I at the gates, 
that there should no burden be brought in on the Sabbath 
day." 

Sabbath-breaking was not only a sin at this time, 
but their fathers had done the same thing. As we have 
already learned, this was one of the causes for which they 
had been taken to Babylon, as recorded in Jeremiah 17. 
This brings us down to 445 b. c. The history of Israel 
from this time to the first coming of Christ is not recorded 



Ezra's Return. 265 

in the Bible, except as they come in contact with earthly 
governments. These governments are taken up by the 
prophet Daniel, and for their history we go to that book. 
Suffice it to say that their condition is not improved between 
this and the advent of our Lord, for we find them at this 
time loaded with traditions and error of every sort con- 
cerning the Scriptures. Asa body they rejected the mes- 
sage of John. They crucified Christ, persecuted the apos- 
tles, and, as a result, one more judgment, in harmony with 
the law of blessings and cursings, rested upon them. Their 
city was destroyed by the Romans, twelve hundred thousand 
were slain, and the apostles were compelled to say, "Lo, 
we turn to the Gentiles/' They are scattered abroad 
throughout the earth, and to-day, in fulfilment of the 
prophecy, they are a byword to all nations. But we have 
reason to be thankful that in all their history there have been 
among them some of the most devoted, God-fearing men 
and women the world has ever known. The word Israel 
from this time forward applies to God's professed people, 
and not to literal Israel. 

We now turn to the book of Daniel, and trace the history 
of other nations through the remaining history of the world 
as depicted by his pen. 



THE INSPIRED HISTORY OF 
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By G. G. RUPERT 

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the gospel; the division of the race into two classes, those who chose the 
service of God and those who chose the service of Satan; the earth filled 
with violence; the flood, the descendants of Noah, and the countries in 
which they located; Israel going into bondage; their deliverance; the 
formation of the theocracy; their history for nine hundred years; their 
captivity to Babylon; their relation to the civil governments of the 
world; the history of these nations till they finally gather to the great 
battle of Armageddon; the history of Israel through all this period; the 
gathering of Israel in the last days; also the kings of the Bast with 
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